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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27271711">The Entanglement [Charlie Barber X Reader]</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/driver_fans/pseuds/driver_fans'>driver_fans</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Adam Driver - Fandom, Charlie Barber - Fandom, Fanfiction - Fandom, Marriage Story (2019)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Multi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 09:48:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>129,503</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27271711</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/driver_fans/pseuds/driver_fans</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>CharlieBarberXReader fanfiction story</p><p>This is my filthy spin on what became of Charlie Barber after his divorce. It's reader insert and your sexuality is bisexual. If that makes you uncomfortable, I would recommend reading it anyway.</p><p>Y/N in this fic is strong-minded and confident. Charlie exposes her to his "secret life" which unleashes a domino effect of events...emotionally and physically, Y/N experiences many ups and downs. However, this story is a high confidence boost for anyone who loves it when a woman becomes a badass bitch. </p><p>Once Charlie returned to NYC full time he was able to focus on bigger Broadway plays. His love life over the last year had been a revolving door of one night stands as he tried to catch up for missed opportunities while he was married. He decided that sex can be just that - sex - once you detach your emotions from it. And that sort of lifestyle has suited him well over the last year. He was happy for the first time in a long time, as he felt clear-headed and focused at work. There was nothing distracting him and no way in hell he would let someone else's idea of what love should look like determine how he would live his own life.</p><p>Then he met you...</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Adam Driver/You, Charlie Barber/Reader, Charlie Barber/You</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>51</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Good girl, Dirty mind</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Author's note: I received an overwhelming response on my tiktok account to do a Charlie Barber fanfic based on the POV I posted a while ago so HERE WE GOOOOO! Thank you so much for the feedback. Hope you enjoy!</p><p> </p><p>Charlie collapsed on the bed, sweaty and short of breath, next to the woman whose name he still couldn't remember. The pub music was too loud when they first met just hours before and by now, it was much too late to ask. Not that it mattered anyway, he knew they wouldn't see each other again. </p><p>It had been a year since his divorce from Nicole was finalized and custody of Henry had been decided. He would keep Henry during the summer months in NYC and Nicole would keep him in LA during school. They would share the holidays and make the best choice for Henry in between. </p><p>Once Charlie returned to NYC full time he was able to focus on bigger Broadway plays. His love life over the last year had been a revolving door of one night stands as he tried to catch up for missed opportunities while he was married. His views on relationships and marriage had completely changed. He didn't believe in monogamy or marriage like he used to when he first met Nicole. Marriage was much harder than he ever imagined it would be, and both Nicole and Charlie felt neglected and lonely for years leading up to the divorce. He never wanted to experience it ever again. </p><p>He decided that sex can be just that - sex - once you detach your emotions from it. And that sort of lifestyle has suited him well over the last year. He was happy for the first time in a long time, as he felt clear headed and focused at work. There was nothing distracting him and no way in hell he would let someone else's idea of what love should look like determine how he would live his own life. Plus, because he led a rather private life, rarely did anyone ever question who he was dating. He never took his hookups on proper dates or showed them off in front of others. He preferred that people just mind their own business.</p><p>“C'mon! We gotta go! I can't be late!"  Ben shouted from the living room as you rushed to finish your makeup. You rolled your eyes as you straightened your top once more trying to perfect your look. </p><p>You grabbed your jacket and purse as you hurried to the front door where Ben was now standing with it wide open for you. </p><p>"Sorry, babe. I'm just nervous." You said as you both walked out to the Uber. It was the first day of rehearsal for the Broadway play you'd been dying to be a part of, and not only were you in it, you were the lead actress. Ben was the assistant director which was also a big deal. He had directed plenty of smaller plays before but this was Broadway, and he was working with the well respected theater director, Charlie Barber. </p><p>"There's no need to be nervous, honey. It's not like I'm going to fire you." He smirked as he climbed into the backseat with you. Ben had helped you get the audition but you wanted to believe that your talent landed you the role, and not your relationship. You needed to know that you earned this for yourself, fair and square. </p><p>You started dating Ben five years ago during your senior year in college. He was the perfect boyfriend; caring, attentive, funny, and your families loved each other. You lived together in a small apartment just east of Brooklyn Heights for the past year and things had been generally good. Friends and family seemed to be asking more frequently when the two of you would get engaged. You would brush it off like you didn't mind waiting but a part of you worried if he would ever propose. You had talked about it before and Ben would always assure you that once you were both financially stable, it would happen.</p><p>You worked as a massage therapist and Ben worked nights at a popular local pub as a side gig to make ends meet as you both chased after your dreams. If things went well with this play, it had the potential to turn everything around for you both so that you could actually make a living doing what you loved.</p><p>You stood on the stage with your scene partners, script in hand, as you reviewed your lines for 'Jenna'. Your intro into the scene was an emotional one in which Jenna is sitting on the dirty floor of the bathroom in the diner she works at, hunched over the toilet vomiting as her fellow waitresses stand near her and wait for the results of her pregnancy test. Jenna fears that she could be pregnant by her abusive husband.</p><p> </p><p> JENNA<br/>Come on, negative.</p><p>  WAITRESSES (BECKY/DAWN)<br/>- Come on!<br/>- Dear Lord, please protect our Jenna <br/>from the hell of unwanted pregnancy.</p><p>  JENNA<br/>I don't need no baby.<br/>I don't want no trouble.</p><p>I just want to make pies.</p><p>That's all I want to do, make pies.</p><p>  (BECKY/DAWN)<br/>I thought you weren't sleeping<br/>with your husband no more.</p><p>  <br/>He got her drunk one night.</p><p> </p><p> JENNA<br/>I should never drink.<br/>  <br/>I do stupid things when I drink, <br/>like sleep with my husband.</p><p> </p><p>"Stop right there." Charlie's voice echoed from the third row of the theatre seats where he'd been observing. He stood and slowly approached the stage in deep thought, ready to give some artistic direction.</p><p>He gestured to the actress playing Becky. "I think your southern accent sounds a bit... forced. I need you to try less on that, and focus more on being genuinely nervous for Jenna's situation." </p><p>Ben watched Charlie critiquing the cast and felt like he should also be offering up creative advice. Although he thought your acting was fine, he decided to approach you anyway and suggest some ideas in order to look good in front of Charlie.</p><p>"Hey. Great accent. That's on point. Um, I think it would be good to appear more distraught over the possibility of being pregnant." Ben talked with his hands as he made the suggestion.</p><p>You gave him an odd look but considering he was the assistant director you didn't want to appear rude. "Oh. Okay. So, are you saying I need to cry...?"</p><p>Ben rested his hand on his chin. "Hmm, I don't know. Maybe. Let's try it." He tapped you on the shoulder gently before rushing back to his seat next to Charlie. </p><p>The scene started again and you did your best to bring tears to your eyes on demand. You imagined terrible thoughts in order to get you there emotionally. Once the scene was done again, you saw Charlie and Ben conversing with each other. You wiped the tears from your cheeks as you and your scene partners waited for their notes. </p><p>"Wow, that was great..." your scene partner, Gabrielle, whispered to you. "Here I am trying too hard to get my accent right then I look over and see you crying on demand. I don't think I could ever do that..."</p><p>"Oh, thanks. Sometimes when you think dark enough thoughts, the tears just happen." You said, shrugging. </p><p>Charlie approached you this time and you adjusted your posture nervously. You had never had a one on one conversation with the man yet and by the stern look on his face, it wasn't going to be all rainbows and roses.</p><p>"The crying. It's too much for this scene." He said in a low voice to you, almost as if he didn't want others to hear. You glanced past him at Ben who looked apologetic. "Don't misunderstand, I like that you can cry so...naturally. But it's not right for this moment." </p><p>You nodded as you looked up to Charlie, meeting his dark eyes. "Okay, I understand, sir. No crying right now." You gave him a closed mouth smile. His eyes, once dark, became soft as he gazed at you. You thought you even saw him smile back.</p><p>"Good." He said as he slightly rested his hand on your shoulder as a comforting gesture.</p><p>You ran through the scene once more and Charlie was pleased with the outcome. You continued through the rest of the rehearsal, taking notes from Charlie as Ben only observed from a distance. </p><p>Once rehearsal was finished, Charlie offered to take the cast out for dinner. Everyone was feeling excited for opening night which was in exactly one week and Charlie wanted to show his appreciation for everyone's hard work. You noticed he was a quiet man, always looking pensive but very considerate and charming. You knew he had been married before but you didn't know much about his personal life beyond that.</p><p>As the group took their seats at a long table, Charlie sat right across from you and Ben sat to your left. The restaurant seemed very upscale with white table cloths and candles lit along the center.</p><p>Charlie ordered bottles of wine for the group and everyone filled up their glasses in pure merriment as they began to relax and unwind. Ben was in conversation with someone else as you scanned over the menu, biting your lower lip as you searched for something light. You figured Charlie was throwing down big money on the dinner and you didn't want to be rude by ordering anything too expensive.</p><p>"Order whatever you'd like." Charlie said to you from across the table as he looked up from his menu. It was as if he read your mind. You glanced up and over your menu at him.</p><p>"That's very generous of you. I should probably watch what I'm eating." You said, remembering Ben had made a remark yesterday about how actresses typically try to lose 10 pounds before opening night.</p><p>"Nonsense. You look great." He continued as he looked back down at his menu.</p><p>You felt butterflies in your stomach at the compliment and shifted in your seat a bit as Ben didn't appear to overhear it.</p><p>As the waiter approached you and asked for your order, you glanced back down at the menu. "Um... what kind of soup do you have?"</p><p>"We have a delightful bisqu-.." the waiter started but was interrupted by Charlie putting his hand up to stop him.</p><p>"She'll have the filet mignon with whipped potatoes and seasoned vegetables." </p><p>Ben snapped his head back to you from the person he was chatting with once he realized Charlie had just ordered for you. "Are you getting steak?" He asked quizzically as you felt his hand grab your hand that was resting on your leg.</p><p>Charlie noticed the move even though it was mostly under the table. </p><p>"Uh, yes?" You said looking at Charlie for final approval as he grinned at you. "Yes. The filet mignon."</p><p>Ben frowned a bit at you then looked over at Charlie, noticing that Charlie's eyes were still on you. "Well, whatever you'd like, honey. You deserve it." He said as he raised your hand up to his lips and kissed it. Clearly, marking his territory.</p><p>Charlie made a slight smirk to himself. He didn't realize Ben was your boyfriend until that moment, but given Charlie's newfound idea of relationships, it didn't really matter. You intrigued him since he first saw you at your audition and he wanted to know more about you.</p><p>Dinner was rather uneventful besides the small stares you would catch from Charlie across the table. Ben continued to be otherwise busy conversing with everyone else besides you, which wasn't totally unexpected. You lived with him after all so it wasn't like you had much to talk about. </p><p>You found it interesting that Charlie didn't participate much in the group conversations unless someone directly asked him something. The silent eye contact between you both almost felt as though you had your own secret language. You felt bad about it at first, but since Ben wasn't showing you any attention and Charlie was, you let go of the guilt and enjoyed sipping your wine while making eyes at each other.</p><p>Once the group finished up dinner, Ben excused himself to use the restroom as you stood to put your jacket on. Charlie stood at the same time and took a few steps over to you.  </p><p>"I realized I don't have your number." He said as he pulled his phone out of his jacket pocket.</p><p>You adjusted your jacket and looked up at him. "Oh. Yeah..." you looked over to restrooms.</p><p>"I may need to give you notes before or after rehearsals." He said, sounding completely professional about it.</p><p>You gave him your number and watched him type it into his phone with his larger than normal hands. You smirked at how small the cell phone looked in his hands as moved his thumbs across the screen as you watched him in a trance.</p><p>Ben's hands on your waist broke your focus. "Ready?"</p><p>"Yep." You said, in a chipper voice. </p><p>Ben reached out to shake Charlie's hand and you watched how they said goodbye to each other. Charlie smiling at Ben and Ben nodding back as they wished each other a 'goodnight' and 'see you tomorrow'.</p><p>You laid in bed next to Ben that night as you replayed the day over in your head. You were trying to focus on the play and how tomorrow would go but your mind kept going back to Charlie. </p><p>Charlie's eyes....<br/>Charlie's hair....<br/>His hands....<br/>His mouth.... on your mouth....on your neck....down your chest....down....</p><p>You snapped yourself back to reality, taking a deep inhale as you noticed how Ben was snoring now in a deep sleep. You slowly got out of bed and walked to the kitchen for a glass of water.</p><p>You leaned your back against the kitchen counter as you sipped on the water and tried to redirect your mind to more important things. Like sleep. Which you desperately needed. But like a virus, he creeped back into your thoughts. Charlie. All you could think of was Charlie. What was it about him that made you think such inappropriate thoughts? </p><p>You knew the only way you were going to fall asleep at this point was to get yourself off. You locked yourself in the bathroom and slipped your hand under your pajama shorts. You began working your fingers in slow circles as you tried to picture Ben touching you. When that didn't quite work, you imagined your favorite sex scene from the movie Secretary. You had a thing for dominance in bed and typically Ben would accommodate you but it wasn't his natural state of being. </p><p>You felt warmth rush over your body as you moved your hand faster. You tightly closed your eyes shut and a vision of Charlie on his knees, licking and sucking at your core as your thigh rested on his broad shoulder popped up clear in your mind. Before you could even stop yourself, you imagined him looking up at you, humming as he brought you to orgasm, gripping your hips with his large hands.</p><p>A white flash of ecstasy washed over you body and you covered your mouth with your free hand as you moaned into it, cumming hard at the image of it all in your mind.</p><p>You slowly came down from your orgasm, catching your breath and finally feeling tired.</p><p>Well, shit.</p><p>So much for a strictly professional relationship. Even though it was just a fantasy, you knew it wouldn't be the last time you touched yourself to the thought of Charlie Barber. You just had to keep your thoughts - and hands - to yourself.</p><p>You woke up to Ben bringing you coffee in bed. It was his 'thing' he did for you every morning and you loved the sentiment. </p><p>"Morning, love." He said sweetly as he handed you the mug.</p><p>"Mmm, good morning. Thank you." You sipped on the hot coffee.</p><p>"So about last night..." Ben started, causing you to spit some coffee back into the mug, startling you as you wondered if he knew about your little 'me-time' in the bathroom. "I'm sorry about rehearsal, the crying. I hope Charlie wasn't too hard on you." </p><p>You sat up straighter in bed. "No.. no, he was...fine." You took another sip of coffee as you looked at Ben.</p><p>"Well that's good." He glanced down to the mug in his hands. "He seems to like you."</p><p>You wondered if Ben was referring to 'liking' you as an actress or 'liking' you a little too much as a person.</p><p>"Well, I think he likes you, too." You tried to smooth it over with the same compliment.</p><p>Ben smirked and looked back up to you. "I love you, you know?"</p><p>Your heart sank, knowing that you had fantasized about Charlie last night while masturbating in the bathroom, with Ben in the next room sound asleep. You felt awful about it and if Ben knew, he would be furious with you. It was one thing to fantasize about someone famous and unattainable, but not your boyfriend's boss. And certainly not your boss. </p><p>"I love you, too." You said as you leaned over to stroke Ben's arm.</p><p>Ben stood and kissed you on the forehead before making his way back into the kitchen. You heard your phone buzz from the nightstand and you grabbed it. You had a text from an unknown number.</p><p>Let's meet for coffee before rehearsal today. I have some notes.</p><p>You knew it was Charlie and your heart skipped a beat. You glanced over to the kitchen then back at your phone before replying.</p><p>Okay.</p><p>You watched the phone screen as you saw he was replying.</p><p>Come alone.</p><p>Your heart jumped into your throat this time and you swallowed. You didn't respond back but Charlie did send over the cafe information of where he wanted you to meet him and the time.</p><p>You told Ben that you needed to run some errands before rehearsal and you made your way to the cafe. Charlie was sitting at a small bistro table in the back corner looking over his notebook when you spotted him. He looked up and gave you a warm grin as you approached the table. </p><p>"Thanks for coming. Please, have a seat." He gestured to the chair across from him. You carefully sat down, holding your purse close to your body.</p><p>"You're nervous." Charlie said as he looked back down at his notebook before closing it.</p><p>"Um, yeah I guess so." You said, sheepishly. "You ... intimidate me a little." </p><p>He smirked at your response. "I should be the one who's intimidated. I've been very impressed with your skills." </p><p>You felt butterflies again at his compliment. "Oh, well... great. I mean, thank you." Okay, now you felt nervous.</p><p>Charlie chuckled at you as your face became flushed.</p><p>He leaned forward to rest his elbow on the table as he brought his coffee up to take a sip. </p><p>"Tell me about you and Ben." Charlie asked in a low voice.</p><p>The question took you by surprise. "What do you mean?"</p><p>Charlie gestured with his hands. "Are you...open?"</p><p>You felt like you knew what he was asking but would feel stupid if you were wrong.</p><p>"Open... to..." you suggested he elaborate.</p><p>Charlie grinned. "I thought about you last night. After I got home." </p><p>Your eyes locked on his as he spoke. You wondered if he touched himself like you ended up doing.</p><p>"I was curious... if you thought of me last night." He rested his strong hand on the table in front of you. You gazed down at it for a moment remembering how you came hard thinking about his hands on your body.</p><p>You moved your gaze back up to him. "I....uh....No. We aren't...open." You replied under your breath. </p><p>Charlie pressed his lips together as he nodded slightly.</p><p>"That's a shame." He smirked as he looked down at the table. "You're quite remarkable."</p><p>You froze in astonishment as Charlie stood and put his jacket on. </p><p>"Don't you have notes for me?" You replied, looking up at him.</p><p>Charlie gazed down at you and grinned. "Just one. Don't listen to Ben."</p><p>He turned on his heel and left as you remained in your chair, trying to absorb what just happened. Let's see: Charlie freaking Barber thinks you're impressive, remarkable... <br/>oh! And he wants to fuck you. </p><p>You wondered how many more times you'd have to masturbate before you could get Charlie off your mind. And you wondered what a night alone with Charlie would be like. You shook the dirty thoughts from your head<br/> as you walked out of the cafe and made your way back home to Ben.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Fire on Fire</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was two days before opening night and everyone was running through a full dress rehearsal. Charlie seemed pleased with how things were going and only had a few adjustments to make before dismissing the cast for the night. Ben was scheduled to work at the pub until closing  once rehearsal was finished so you decided to take yourself out on a movie date. </p><p>There was a small, old fashioned theatre in your neighborhood that you would occasionally drop in to enjoy some old classics. When you walked up to the ticket booth, you scanned the listings of shows. They were playing a silent film in black and white that you hadn’t seen before so you figured why not and bought the ticket. </p><p>You made yourself comfortable in an aisle seat of the theatre, taking note that only one other couple was present in the whole place. They were older and seemed very sweet to one another which made you smile to yourself. As you snuggled down in your chair and brought a handful of popcorn up to your mouth you heard a familiar voice.</p><p>“May I join you?” </p><p>You looked up, mouth wide open as popcorn fell from your hand. It was Charlie.</p><p>You sat up straight and put the popcorn back into the bucket. “Hi. Uh, yeah. Sure.” You said as you tried clearing your throat. He looked so statuesque as he shuffled himself past you to the seat next to yours.</p><p>He removed his jacket and laid it across the back of his chair before sitting down next to you. He looked over at you and smiled. “Thank you.”</p><p>You felt his broad shoulder pressed against yours as he rested his elbow on the armrest and it sent chills up your spine. Being this close to him like this was so arousing but you needed to keep your composure.</p><p>Trying to come up with something to say, you tilted the bucket of popcorn towards him. “Help yourself.” You said offering up a friendly snack. His eyes looked at the popcorn then at you as his hand reached over and dipped into the bucket. </p><p>“Thank you, again.’ He smiled as you felt the vibration of his hand shuffling through the bucket to grab a handful. “Have you seen this one?” He gestured to the screen.</p><p>“Nope. Have you?” You asked as you watched him place a couple of popcorn kernels into his mouth and lick the butter from his lips. Charlie had the best lips, they were full and supple, and you couldn’t stop imagining what they would feel like pressed against your lips… among other places.</p><p>“Yeah. It’s a good one. I think you’ll enjoy it.” </p><p>You thought it must be good if Charlie was taking the time to watch it again. He was a brilliant director and you looked up to him as a sort of mentor in the industry. You trusted his ideas and direction on the stage. He would bring you out of your comfort zone to challenge you which was always a welcomed approach. </p><p>The two of you remained quiet during the film as Charlie would occasionally grab popcorn from your lap. Once in a while either of you would shift in your seat causing yourselves to be even closer at times. His knee was touching your knee, his hand was dangerous close to yours on the armrest and your shoulders remained pressed against each other. </p><p>There was a point in the film that caused you to tear up. You felt almost embarrassed to be crying in front of Charlie so you held your hand up over your mouth as the tears started to trail down your cheeks. Charlie leaned forward and grabbed something from his back pocket. He gazed back at you as he handed you a handkerchief. </p><p>You took the piece of cloth from him and smiled. You noticed it was embroidered with “C.B.” in the corner. “Thanks.” You said sheepishly as you used the cloth to wipe your eyes. You handed it back to him and noticed he also used it to wipe a stray tear from his face. </p><p>“I cry everytime.” He assured you before stuffing the handkerchief back into his pocket. You were moved by his raw honesty. </p><p>Once the end credits appeared on the screen and the house lights came on, you looked over to Charlie and thanked him for his company as you stood up from your seat. </p><p>“What are your plans this evening?” He asked as he stood with you.</p><p>You shrugged and thought for a moment. “Probably just go home and cook some dinner.”</p><p>“You cook?” He asked, intrigued.</p><p>“I do...I love cooking which works out since it saves money.” You smirked. “Do you cook?”</p><p>“Yes. I’ve been teaching my son, Henry, how to cook.” He smiled as he looked down thinking of Henry.</p><p>“That’s good. It’s an invaluable life skill to have.” You continued chatting as you both made your way out of the theatre. You both paused as you exited the building and faced each other, shivering a bit from cool fall air.</p><p>“Well, what do you say we both take a break from cooking and grab a slice of pizza next door?” Charlie suggested as he motioned to the pizzeria behind you. You gazed down at your watch before answering. Ben would still be working for another two hours or so.</p><p>“Okay, sure. I have time.” </p><p>Charlie grinned as he touched the small of your back to guide you towards the eatery. He opened the door for you and asked for your pizza preference. </p><p>“Hmm… I’ll have…. whatever you’re having.” You figured such a brilliant mind must know which pizza toppings are superior to the rest. He nodded and placed the order at the counter. Within minutes you both sat down at a booth with your slices and beverages in hand.</p><p>Before Charlie started eating he began asking you questions about your life. If you didn’t know any better, this felt like a first date. He was impressed when you told him that you were a licensed massage therapist. That made you feel good as Ben would always act as if your license was just a stepping stone and nothing to brag about. You actually loved your job and imagined that you would continue doing private work even if you did make it big on Broadway.</p><p>“I’m actually looking for a good massage therapist. I’ve been having some trouble with my shoulders. Where do you work?” He asked casually before shoving the pizza slice in his mouth. He devoured the pizza like a maniac and it made you giggle. </p><p>“I work at this place called Indulgences Spa in the Cobble Hill neighborhood. But I also have my own table and offer home visits for people who can’t come to me. Usually that’s the older crowd, so I’m happy to accommodate at no extra charge.” </p><p>Charlie raised his eyebrows and nodded as he chewed on the oversized portion in his mouth. You noticed some sauce on his chin and chuckled again at him. </p><p>“What..?” He asked, hunched over his plate. </p><p>You reached across the table and gently wiped the sauce away from his face with your thumb. He paused at your touch and locked eyes with you. You knew you shouldn’t but temptation took over as you pulled your hand back towards your own mouth and sucked the sauce from your thumb. </p><p>Charlie watched you intently, breath heavy, frozen at the seductive move you just made. You both just stared at each other across the table for what seemed like endless minutes. </p><p>You snapped yourself out of it and swallowed, shaking your head. “I’m sorry. That was…”</p><p>“Fucking hot.” Charlie finished your sentence and grinned as he slowly began chewing again. You bit your lower lip and Charlie swallowed his food and slowly shook his head as if to warn you that biting your lower lip wasn’t going unnoticed either. </p><p>You looked down at the table to break the sultry eye contact. You needed to get the hell out of there. You were feeling heat at your core and desire in your veins. You knew Charlie wanted to fuck you, he had already propositioned you about it a week ago. You still had five weeks of live shows ahead of you and you could not start up some careless affair with your director and expect for things to go well. </p><p>And also, there was Ben. You loved Ben and had plans to marry him, someday, whenever he asked you. It seemed all Charlie wanted was sex. Granted, you and Ben were going through a bit f dry spell in your sex life, but you knew that was just part of being with someone for a long time. You blamed your overactive hormones for making you act so slutty. </p><p>You stood from the booth. “I should go.” You turned quickly and rushed out of the pizzeria. It had started to rain while you were inside so you quickly walked towards the subway entrance. </p><p>“Wait!” You heard a shout from behind you. You stopped and turned around, watching Charlie jog over to you, his feet splashing the water on the ground as his hair and jacket became wet.</p><p>You stood motionless as he quickly approached you then slowly came a little closer, eyes heavy on you. You looked at each other, breathlessly, as the only noise was the sound of the rain falling down around you. </p><p>In unison you both crashed your lips onto one another. Your arms wrapped around his neck and his arms found a home around your waist. Your knees became weak as you were standing on your tip-toes and his strength kept you from falling over. His lips were soft and inviting, as his warm tongue slipped into your mouth, dancing against your tongue, hungry and wanting. It was the kind of kiss that you’d only heard of in the movies but had never experienced in real life.</p><p>You slowly released the kiss at the same time, still embracing each other and trying to catch your breath. As soon as the rush of serotonin left your body you felt an enormous wave of guilt replace it. </p><p>You fully released your hold on him but he kept his hands on your waist as you tried to create space between your bodies. “Shit. Charlie… shit! What did we just do?”</p><p>His hands moved to cup the sides of your face. “Shhh… it’s okay. It was my fault. I know I shouldn’t… but… I can’t help myself around you.” </p><p>You lifted your hands to cover his and guide them down and away from your face. </p><p>“This can’t happen.” You protested. He stood silently in front of you, chest rising and falling as he was fully drenched from the rain. You backed away from him slowly before turning and rushing down the subway stairs. </p><p>You buried your face in your hands as you sat on the mostly empty train, replaying what just happened. What have you done? Did you just cheat on Ben? Should you tell Ben or would that just complicate his career?</p><p>It wouldn’t happen again, you told yourself. </p><p>You didn’t sleep that night even though you pretended to be asleep when Ben got home and crawled into bed next to you. You stayed on your side, facing away from him as he carefully leaned over and kissed your shoulder before rolling over and falling asleep. You felt the tears pooling in your eyes and you bit back a sob as you imagined how heartbroken Ben would be if he knew. He didn’t deserve that, you wondered if you even deserved him anymore. </p><p>__________________________________________________________________</p><p>Before you could blink, it was opening night and you were standing backstage with the rest of the cast, chatting nervously as you waited for your cue. The night flew by and you felt butterflies as you stood on the stage with your castmates and bowed. You spotted Charlie in the crowd for the first time that night as he was standing with everyone else, giving you a standing ovation. His face was full of pride. It made you smile and nod at him which he returned the same gesture back to you. </p><p>Ben was waiting for you at stage side as you ran to him and gave him a big hug. </p><p>“Oh my gosh! I feel ...amazing! What a rush!” You exclaimed as Ben was grinning ear to ear.</p><p>“You did great, babe. Everyone seemed to really like it.” He said as he kissed your forehead. “Hey, why don’t you hang with the cast while I go wrap up? Meet you out front in 30 minutes?”</p><p>You were on cloud nine and experiencing what could only be compared to as a ‘runner's high’. “Yeah! Sure! Sounds good!” You proceeded down to the backstage area as your other castmates gave you high fives along the way. </p><p>As everyone gathered in the green room and passed around champagne flutes you saw Charlie enter and shout above everyone ‘Well done!’, causing an uproar of cheers. He grabbed a glass as his eyes found you from across the room. He lifted the glass in a ‘cheers’ motion and you returned the gesture before taking a sip. </p><p>You appreciated that Charlie was respecting your wishes and keeping his distance. Although you still yearned for him, you did your best to remain faithful to Ben. You enjoyed celebrating with your castmates as you saw Charlie put down his empty glass, saying his ‘goodnights’ to people as he walked out of the room.</p><p>Charlie strolled down the long corridor backstage when he heard a noise that made him stop in his tracks. It was coming from the prop closet and it sounded like two people moaning. He smirked knowing exactly what was happening but was curious to see who was getting handsy with each other. He peeked around the doorway and saw Ben kissing… well, not you. It was your castmate Gabrielle. She was sitting on a table with her legs wrapped around Ben’s waist as he thrusted into her. </p><p>Charlie was at a loss. Should he say something? Confront Ben? It wasn’t like he was against anyone fucking backstage, he was certainly guilty of doing it before but he was against someone hurting you. He knew how devoted you were to Ben and how awful you felt about one kiss. But here’s Ben, full out railing one of your castmates as you remain clueless in the other room celebrating your success. What a dick.</p><p>Charlie backed away from the door and purposefully dropped a prop so that the noise would cause them to stop out of fear of getting caught. He wouldn’t confront Ben right now but he would ruin his orgasm. </p><p>You finished your champagne and headed out to the front doors where Ben said he would meet you. You glanced around the empty sidewalk and frowned. You caught a whiff of cigarette smoke from behind you and as you turned around you saw Charlie leaning up against the front entrance smoking in silence.</p><p>“Hey.” You said followed by a friendly grin. </p><p>He nodded at you as he took a long drag. “You did great tonight.” He said after blowing smoke out of his mouth. You walked over to him still feeling cheerful from the night.</p><p>“Thank you. It was so thrilling to get a standing ovation. I’ve never gotten one before.” You said as you playfully kicked around some loose pebbles on the sidewalk. </p><p>Charlie smiled, feeling so proud and happy for you. He didn’t want your night to be ruined so he kept his peace for now about what he witnessed Ben doing moments earlier. </p><p>“You deserve it. You deserve so much more, too.” Charlie said, his hidden meaning completely lost on you as you smiled back and thanked him again.</p><p>Ben swung the front door open and you rushed over to him as he put his arm around you. “Hey! Wanna grab a drink?” You asked, still feeling celebratory.</p><p>“Nah, baby. I’m beat. Maybe tomorrow night?” Ben offered and you nodded feeling disappointed but also understood that he had been working hard...</p><p>A little too hard.</p>
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<a name="section0003"><h2>3. The Awakening</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Charlie had been texting you and trying to get you to meet him alone for coffee again since opening night a few days ago. You resisted the urge to reply back to him and thankfully everyone had been so busy before and after each show that he wasn’t able to catch you at the theatre. </p><p>You had your first day off from the play and rehearsals so you planned to work a few hours at the spa before relaxing at home while Ben was also busy making a few extra dollars at the pub that day. </p><p>You prepared your massage room as you normally do by testing the lighting, the music and making sure the table was dressed and ready. Conveniently, you had access to your client schedule from your cell phone so you were able to see your appointments for the day. You hadn’t scanned the list yet, but it looked like it was a fairly slow day. Your heart stopped when you saw the name ‘Charlie’ next to an 11AM timestamp for a deep tissue massage. You recalled him mentioning the trouble he was having in his shoulders and you wondered if it was the same Charlie; your Charlie.</p><p>It was just ten minutes shy of 11AM when you peeked your head out of the massage room to peer down the hallway into the waiting area. You didn’t see anyone at first so you slowly tip-toed your way down the opposite direction to the nearby restroom. Rounding the corner, you collided with a towering figure and yelped loudly. It was him, looking and smelling absolutely divine. He smiled down at you as he put his index finger up to his lips. </p><p>“Shhh… this is a quiet place.” He teased you.</p><p>You nudged him playfully. “What are you doing here?” You whispered in a light tone.</p><p>“Getting….my taxes done….” he whispered sarcastically as he gestured to the place with his hands. You gave him a stern look before turning slowly around eyes still on him.</p><p>“This way…” you gestured to the massage room that was ready for him. You followed him to the room and quietly closed the door. He looked around a moment before resting his hands on his hips.</p><p>“This is nice.” He said softly as his gaze moved to you.</p><p>You cleared your throat. “So you can undress to whatever comfort level you’re... comfortable with. And then umm… you’ll lay face down and I’ll come back in to begin.” You swallowed, looking down to the floor as you started to feel your heart beating faster, knowing that soon enough you’d be in a room alone with a practically nude Charlie. Your face began to blush as you looked back up at him. “Do you have any questions for me?”</p><p>He grinned slightly at your nervousness and shook his head. “Nope.”</p><p>You left Charlie in the room alone to undress as you quickly made your way to the restroom. You stood in front of the mirror staring at your own reflection as you mentally told yourself to keep things professional. You washed your hands and splash a bit of cool water on your face. You took a deep breath before going back to the massage room and knocking lightly. Charlie let you know he was ready and you entered the room. </p><p>You paused after closing the door, seeing his strong, bare back glowing from the dim warm lights in the room. The white sheet was draped across his waist loosely and you carefully tucked it in underneath him. You moved to the head of the table and slowly began rubbing warm oil along the length of his back. His muscles felt solid and tense under your touch. After three passes along his back you brought your hands to rest on his shoulders and instructed him to inhale deeply three times to encourage relaxation. </p><p>He followed directions and you felt your hands melt into him as he released the tension in his body. “Good.” You whispered before starting to rub his shoulders. You didn’t know it, but Charlie gripped the sheets into his fists when you said ‘good’. The feeling of validation turned him on. </p><p>He groaned in response when you started rubbing the sore muscles in his shoulders and the feral noise made your core throb. Clients made all kinds of noises during massages, usually sighs and moans of relief. But Charlie’s groans and moans were nothing less than sexual. You clenched your jaw tight as you continued working on him, trying to keep your composure. You wanted nothing more than to feel him on top of you making the same pleasure filled sounds as he rocked his hips against yours. </p><p>You spent a considerable amount of time working out all the tensed muscles in Charlie’s upper back. You moved down to his lower body and smirked to yourself at how much oil you had to use just to cover this man from head to toe for a massage. You worked on his long, thick legs all the way down to his incredibly larger than average feet. Something about how massive his body was sent something fierce through your veins. </p><p>Halfway through the session it was time for Charlie to turn over so you could work on the front of his body. As he turned, you helped him adjust the sheet over his lower half. You tried not to look but lord have mercy, you couldn’t help your womanly instincts. You felt Charlie’s eyes on you so you looked up to the ceiling as not to appear guilty. He smirked at your attempt at trying to be a good girl.</p><p>Once he was faced up and could see you, he never broke his gaze from you or closed his eyes like most clients do. He just peacefully watched as you worked your craft on him. </p><p>You moved over to massage his arms, pumping out more oil to cover him completely. You locked eyes for a moment as you worked on his large hands. The same hands you imagined on your body whenever you would touch yourself to the thought of him. You felt his thumb slowly stroke your hand as you kept working. A deep feeling of intimacy swept over you as he caressed you while you massaged him. You felt your body start to quiver. </p><p>“When was the last time someone took care of you?” His low voice broke over the spa music. </p><p>You slowed your movements on him. “Depends on what you mean.” You said before biting your lower lip.</p><p>You saw his face tense at you and his hand seductively gripped your wrist to stop you from working. “You know what I mean.” He bit the inside of his cheek as his dark eyes peered at you.</p><p>“Charlie…” you whispered, feeling equal parts defiant and defeated. </p><p>He licked his lips and released your wrist letting you go back to work on him as he kept studying you. You moved to his chest, noticing how heavy his breath had picked up. You rested your hands on his pecs and whispered, “Relax.”</p><p>He practically growled at you this time before taking a deep breath. You continued rubbing his upper body when you noticed his hard cock twitching underneath the sheet. While this wasn’t totally unusual for male clients, you felt a sense of power over Charlie, knowing that your touch was driving him wild. You moved your hand dangerously close to the tip of his cock and noticed how he had the sheets balled into his white knuckled fists. You started to feel bad so you stopped teasing him.</p><p>“Don’t stop.” His voice was deep and wanting. </p><p>You grinned at him. “I have to. Time’s up.” </p><p>Charlie raised up quickly and sat on the edge of the table with the sheet tangled around his waist.</p><p>“Whoa.. easy. You need to move slowly or you’ll get lightheaded.” You warned him.</p><p>“Why haven’t you answered my texts? I’ve been trying to contact you.” He demanded.</p><p>You were taken aback, although it wasn’t surprising that he would confront you about ignoring him. “Oh… I just didn’t want to make things more complicated.” You said, frankly.</p><p>Charlie bit his lower lip and considered you as he sighed deeply. “Well, I need to talk to you about something important. I don’t want to do it here. Will you stop by my place after work?”</p><p>You rolled your eyes. “Absolutely not. If you need to tell me something just tell me now.”</p><p>Charlie scoffed at you. “Listen, I’m not trying anything sleazy. You don’t want me to tell you right now, here, at work.” The look of concern on his face made you worry. You wondered what was so important that he had to tell you in private, and you started to fear it had something to do with the play being canceled. </p><p>“I’ll text you my address.” Charlie said as he stood letting the sheet fall to the floor. </p><p>You quickly turned your back to him. “Umm.. okay?” You rolled your eyes again. This man was going to be the death of you.</p><p>___________________________________________________________________</p><p> </p><p>You finished up work a little early since your last appointment canceled and you headed over to the pub that Ben was working at to grab a quick dinner and say hello. Since the play started, you and Ben hadn’t had much quality time together so you wanted to make an effort to find little moments with him. </p><p>The pub looked pretty dead for the most part as you scanned the place for Ben. You didn’t spot him right away so you headed to the restroom before asking around for him. The restroom door was locked so you waited patiently in the hallway, mindlessly scrolling through your phone. You heard giggling from inside the locked room and you smirked to yourself, wondering what the hell was happening in there. </p><p>Soon enough the door flung open and Gabrielle was face to face with you. You straightened up and put your phone in your pocket. “Oh, hi.” You said, surprised to see her. A look of total shock drew across her face as she said nothing and hurried past you. Your gaze followed her, confused at first, then realizing the situation once you glanced back to the restroom door. Ben stood in front of you, hair disheveled, looking like a deer caught in headlights. </p><p>It felt like someone kicked you in the lungs. </p><p>“.... are you fucking kidding me?!” You said once you could finally bring yourself to speak.</p><p>Ben took a step towards you and reached out to touch your arm but you flung his hand away.</p><p>“It’s not what you think.” Ben tried to interject.</p><p>You let out a sarcastic laugh. “Really??” You turned on your heel and marched through the bar as Ben followed you. Once outside, he tried to grab your arm again and you yanked yourself away from him. “Don’t fucking touch me.” You said in a threatening tone. </p><p>“God damn it, listen to me! She means nothing. I promise. I love you.” Ben pleaded with you but you were too smart to believe him. With your hands shaking, you pulled your phone out to call an Uber. Between listening to Ben rationalize his behavior and being unable to type anything correctly you got frustrated and just walked away from him. He didn’t follow for too long since he was still technically on the clock. </p><p>“We can talk about this at home!” He shouted as you kept walking.</p><p>You didn’t know where you were going, you just kept a steady pace as you let Ben’s actions and words sink in. A part of you felt just as guilty since you had kissed Charlie once before and never told Ben about it. But it angered you how easily he just fucked someone else that he apparently didn’t even care about. You wondered how long he had been sleeping with Gabrielle. Not that it really mattered; the fact was that you both had made indiscretions… him more so than you.</p><p>You knew you didn’t want to mend things with Ben. <br/>But you did want to get even.</p><p>You stood on the corner of an unknown street, not recognizing your surroundings and feeling lost in many ways. You pulled your phone out and looked at the last text from Charlie - it was his address. You weren’t sure if you could take more bad news regarding whatever he needed to talk to you about but since you wagered that going home was the last resort you ordered the Uber to pick you up and take you to the address in the text message.</p><p>You stood on the porch of Charlie’s brownstone and took a deep breath before knocking on the door. He answered seconds later and looked pleased to see you on his doorstep. You noticed he was wearing lounge clothes which made you smile. You had only seen him in slacks and button ups before so being able to witness him in a more relaxed state was cute. He had on a grey v-neck t-shirt and dark joggers. </p><p>He opened the door to welcome you inside. “I was hoping you’d come.”</p><p>You stepped inside the foyer and gave Charlie a small grin. Your heart was beating rapidly as you entered his house and he closed the door behind you. “Well, I have to be honest, I wasn’t sure if I would come. I don't think I can handle anything bad you need to tell me right now.”</p><p>Charlie frowned and pinched his brows together. “Are you alright?” </p><p>You shook your head and looked down, trying not to sob in front of him. “I caught Ben with… Gabrielle. Just now.” You sighed deeply after the words left your mouth.</p><p>“I see. Is there anything I can do?” Charlie placed his hand on your shoulder.</p><p>“Do you have any wine?” You looked up at him innocently, needing to numb your mind.</p><p>Charlie gave you a somber smile. “Right this way.” He led you to his kitchen. You noticed how warm and inviting his home was as you followed him. It was clean but also comfortable, with books on shelves and some stacked on tables. You saw picture frames on his hallway wall of Henry as a baby, toddler and present day. You guessed he was around 6 or 7 years old. </p><p>Charlie placed two wine glasses on the counter as he reached up to the top cabinet above the refrigerator to grab a bottle of red wine. He worked to uncork the bottle as you watched him with lustful eyes. You realized nothing was standing in your way now, besides the fact he was technically your boss. But to you, that just made things even hotter.</p><p>He poured some wine in your glass and handed it to you. You passed it back,”More, please.”</p><p>He let out a smirk,”Alright, but only because you said please.” He generously topped off your glass. You almost chugged half of it before Charlie even finished pouring some for himself.</p><p>He noticed your state and placed his glass back down on the counter to attend to you. “Hey, hey…careful. You can have as much as you need, just go slower.”</p><p>You sat the glass on the counter and looked up at him as the wine worked its way down. “I just want to feel good.” You said, taking a long exhale.</p><p>Charlie looked down at you, raised his glass and took a long drink before placing it down next to yours.</p><p>“I can make you feel good.” His voice was deep and seductive. He moved closer to you and placed his hand near your face, brushing loose hair away gently. He leaned his face down closer to yours. “Tell me what you want.” He whispered.</p><p>It felt like your body was about to explode as your breath picked up and every inch of you started throbbing. </p><p>“Can you …. make me cum with your mouth?” You asked, lifting your chin towards him in a confident manner. That was certainly the wine helping you.</p><p>The most sinister grin grew across Charlie’s face as you watched him, knowing he had waited a long time for you to request such a filthy thing from him. “Babygirl, I can make you cum with many things.”</p><p>He moved you by your waist so that you were pinned against the counter as he stood face to face in front of you, with his lips inches from your mouth. He brushed his lips against your lips softly, barely making contact as you both inhaled and exhaled into one another. You never knew a non-kiss could be so fucking sexy. </p><p>“I can’t wait to taste you.” He whispered against your mouth. He pressed his lips against yours finally for a second before pulling back and slowly bringing himself to his knees all the while keeping eye contact with you. His hands moved to unbutton your pants and push them down along with your panties. He carefully removed your shoes so that he could slip your pants completely off. </p><p>His face was now level with your sex and you felt totally exposed and nervous. He kissed the tops of your thighs as his eyes peered up to you. His hands slid up the sides of your thighs and gripped your hips. </p><p>“Don’t be nervous. I’m going to take care of you.” He said in between the kisses on your thighs. He moved your right leg up so that it could rest on his shoulder, just like you imagined the first time you fantasized about him. His kisses moved from your thighs closer and closer to your core as you felt wetness already pooling down below. </p><p>Once his full lips made contact at your center you leaned your head back and closed your eyes at the sensation. You felt his tongue slip inside of you, warm and wet. You arched your back and moaned in response. His fingers dug into the skin at your hips as you began rocking your hips against his tongue. He moaned into you, loving how comfortable you were becoming. </p><p>He pulled away quickly, “you taste so fucking sweet.” Then he buried his face back into you as you moaned wildly as his words brought you closer to the threshold. Ben never talked dirty to you, and you hadn’t realized until just now how much you loved it.</p><p>Your hands moved to Charlie’s head as you combed your fingers through his hair. He moaned even louder and the vibration against your clit sent you. You began bucking your hips as you felt your orgasm reaching its peak. Charlie kept steady on you, letting you use him anyway you needed to. </p><p>You felt the rush of ecstasy hit you hard as you let out a groan from your throat. Charlie kept sucking and moaning at your core as you rode out your peak. He sensed your knees buckling and becoming weak, so he pulled away and lifted himself to his feet, holding you steady. His face was glistening with your wetness as he held you.</p><p>As you started to regain your strength and catch your breath, you studied his mouth. <br/>“Kiss me. “ you ordered and a look of excitement appeared on his face.</p><p>“Yeah… you need to know how fucking good you taste.” He said before crashing his lips against yours. The kiss was deep and hungry. The taste of him mixed with your sex was something so deliciously erotic. </p><p>He pulled away slowly. “Mmmmm… See?” </p><p>“I don’t think I’ve ever felt anything like that before. I came so hard.” You said, short of breath.</p><p>Charlie looked almost smug for a moment before turning you around so that you were facing away from him, still pinned to the counter. You felt how hard he was through his pants against your backside. His hot breath was in your ear as he kissed on the nape of your neck. </p><p>“I think you still have more left.” He said, before wetting his fingers and moving his hand to the front of you, dipping one finger in slowly. You extended your head backwards to rest on his shoulder as you exhaled a moan. His other hand wrapped around your throat, loosely at first, holding you against him as you moved your hips in rhythm with his finger. He slipped a second finger in and it made you hiss through your teeth. </p><p>“That’s it. That’s a good girl. So fucking tight.” His said squeezing his jaw at the lustful way you moaned against his touch. “I want you to cum again for me.” </p><p>The thrusting of his hand picked up and you felt him start to slightly curl his fingers inside of you, searching for your G-spot. This was a place that even you had trouble finding yourself and no man (or woman) ever made you climax from stimulation there. </p><p>As if the universe heard your thoughts, you felt an immediate shock of warm sensation from your feet up to your head. You started practically screaming obscenities as Charlie fought against your thrashing. He found it, and he was destroying any preconceived notions you had about not getting off to it. </p><p>You didn’t even notice that the hand he had over your throat was now choking you erotically as the biggest, most baddest climax of your life was about to blow through you. </p><p>“Cum. Cum for me.” He growled in your ear.</p><p>A white, hot, flash of light beamed through your body and Charlie released your throat so that you could cry out a noise of pure pleasure that was trapped inside of you. Your body was quaking beyond your control as Charlie held you tightly against him. </p><p>“FUCK….. fuck….” Those were the first words you managed to say once you could speak. </p><p>You had never in your life experienced anything close to what just happened. </p><p>Once Charlie assessed that you could stand on your own, he released his hold on you as you clutched the edge of the counter for balance. He backed away slowly, out of breath, feeling satisfied with his work.</p><p>You turned around to face him and noticed his prideful expression. “What was that?” You chuckled, smiling uncontrollably.</p><p>His hand brushed up against his hard length in his pants as he gazed at you as if you were his prized prey.</p><p>“That’s just the beginning.”</p>
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<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Wondrous Bliss</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Up until now, your previous sex partners had been your first love from high school, a short lived fling with your Biology professor during your freshman year, a solid one year relationship with a beautiful girl named Scarlett during your sophmore year and then after taking a break to be single and focus on yourself, you met Ben. </p><p>Ben entered your life during a time when you felt like you were finally becoming who you were meant to be. During your first few years together he brought out the best in you. He made you feel loved and secure. He was exactly who you envisioned you would marry, start a family with and you saw yourself growing old together. </p><p>You blamed work and your busy lives for the growing distance between the two of you over the last year. And although your careers were really starting to take off, the fact that your love life was diminishing made you feel extremely unhappy. Anytime you and Ben tried to talk about it, you would always walk away from the discussion feeling better, but then nothing ever changed afterwards. It was a vicious cycle of empty promises and lonely nights. </p><p>A part of you felt almost relieved when you caught Ben with Gabrielle. It was a way out… an excuse to leave that wouldn’t make you look like the ‘bad guy’. But you had a long history with Ben, and most of it had been good memories. You felt broken, but it wasn’t just because you caught him cheating. Your soul had been slowly breaking since the distance started a year ago. A piece of you knew that Ben wanted more from life and although you tried to tell yourself you were happy, you secretly felt the same way. </p><p>Catching Ben cheating broke your ego and your self esteem, but Charlie seemed more than willing to help you glue it all back together. And after the sexy episode in his kitchen, you knew he would do a damn good job of it.</p><p>Charlie held your hand as he led you to his bedroom. You walked into the open space behind him and smiled; it was warm and inviting. A large four poster bed was centered in the room with a tall headboard. It looked like it was built for a king. His charcoal colored sheets and bedspread were neatly made and tucked in perfectly. The rest of the room seemed fairly minimalist, but still had character.  The scent of his cologne lingered in the air. </p><p>It was a real man’s bedroom. </p><p>You stood at the foot of the bed with your arms crossed, feeling nervous again as he walked over to his night stand and casually pulled out a Magnum condom from the drawer, placing it on the table. He nonchalantly started to remove the watch from his wrist, placing it down on the nightstand next to the condom. He reached one hand up and over his head, gripping his t-shirt and pulling it off easily. It was as if you were witnessing his normal nightly routine and you were mesmerized by something so simple yet intimate. </p><p>He stood near the bed, shirtless with the glow of a dim light from the corner of the room. His eyes met yours, face completely stoic as he slowly made his way closer to you. Once he was only inches away, he lifted his hands to your face, his expression still unreadable. </p><p>“I want to do things to you. But I need to know you want me to do them.” He said, in all seriousness. </p><p>You looked into his eyes, searching for answers. “What kind of things?” You asked, looking innocent as you bit your lower lip. If it was anything like what you just did in the kitchen moments ago, you were fine with trusting him to do whatever he wanted to you. You already knew he was much more experienced than you in bed, but you had some tricks up your sleeve too and you were curious if you could impress him.</p><p>Charlie watched you bite your lower lip and he tensed his jaw. “First thing… we need a safe word. Do you know what that is?” He asked seductively as his thumb grazed your lower lip after you released it.</p><p>“Yes.” You answered. You never had a safe word with your previous college girlfriend, Scarlett but you both experimented a lot and part of that journey was some light bondage play. You knew the purpose of a safe word but you and Scarlett were both learning and just trying new things out, so you never assigned one to your sexcapades. </p><p>“Good. What’s your safe word?” He asked, giving you the power to choose one for yourself. </p><p>You studied his dark eyes as you thought for a moment before giving him a mischievous grin. “Scarlett.”</p><p>He narrowed his eyes at you as he bit his own lower lip this time and caressed your cheek with thumb. “Okay. But I want to hear all about Scarlett someday.” He grinned back at you before kissing you softly on the lips. </p><p>“The next thing…” he released his hold on you and walked over to his dresser, opening the top drawer to retrieve something. He carried a blindfold back with him and handed it to you. “How do you feel about this?”</p><p>You examined the black satin piece of cloth in your hands. “For me, or for you?” You asked, lifting your brow at him.</p><p>“It will always be for you.” He said without reservation. </p><p>You smirked and nodded. That remark felt like a challenge to you and you thought ‘we’ll see about that’.<br/>
“Okay. I agree. What else?” </p><p>He came closer to you as he grasped your jaw, ‘Tsk, tsk’ he warned. “I need you to trust me before we do more.”</p><p>You swallowed as you stared at him. “Are there any… rules?”</p><p>He practically beamed at you. “God, you’re such a good girl.” He kissed your forehead. “Yes… there are three.” Charlie clutched your hand and led you over towards the bed as he spoke.</p><p>“The first one is simple. Whenever we are in this room, you’ll submit yourself to me. You’ll do whatever I say.”</p><p>You nodded your head in an unspoken agreement. </p><p>“Say it.” He ordered. “I need a verbal understanding.”</p><p>“I understand.” You spoke to him like it was a business deal. </p><p>He gave you a nod as he placed his hands on your shoulders and pushed you down to sit on the edge of his bed. You had to extend your neck up to keep your eyes on his face. </p><p>“The second one… use your safe word only when you want me to stop completely. Know your limits.” He instructed as he proceeded to place the blindfold over your head.</p><p>“I understand.” You said softly tilting your head so that he could place the elastic around you. </p><p>“And the last rule…” He slipped the silky cloth over your eyes. “You’ll refer to me only as ‘daddy’…. not Charlie.”</p><p>You couldn’t see anymore but you felt his mouth only centimeters away, his breath tickling your lips.</p><p>“I understand… daddy.” You replied and you sensed a smirk from him.</p><p>“You’re gonna be fun.” His voice was low and enticing. </p><p>You felt him lifting your shirt from your torso, and you raised your arms as he brought it off of your body. With your vision disabled, all of your other senses were heightened and you shivered slightly when you felt the air in the room kiss your bare skin. You were sitting on Charlie’s bed in only your bra and panties now, blindfolded as he stood over you. </p><p>You heard his heavy breathing as you waited for his next move. You twitched when you felt his hand glide across your clavicle, before he slowly slipped a finger under your bra strap, causing it to fall off your shoulder. He did the same move to the opposite strap before you realized his hands moved to unclasped it from your back. It dropped to your lap as your breath hitched.</p><p>You heard Charlie groan as he watched your bare chest rise and fall. He abruptly seized your waist, lifted and threw you onto the bed. It happened so quickly that a yelp escaped and you began giggling like a schoolgirl.</p><p>You felt the weight of him on you. “Quiet.” He said through gritted teeth. You clamped your lips together to keep yourself from making any noise, breathing heavy through your nose as you felt his hands and lips roam wildly all over your tits. He shifted his body down towards your waist and removed your panties with what could only be his teeth. </p><p>You moaned and arched your back as you were now completely nude, laying across this king sized bed and stretching your arms up and over your head. Charlie sat up on his knees watching you with delight as you squirmed on his bed, nude and hungry for him. </p><p>“You look perfect.” He said through labored breaths. His words made you smile and bite your bottom lip. You heard him growl. “I’m going to fuck you. Hard. Are you ready for me to do that?”</p><p>Your entire body was buzzing with excitement. “Yes. I want it.”</p><p>You heard sounds of the condom wrapper ripping open before his weight was on you again. You wanted so badly to see him and make eye contact during your first time together but being able to focus on just his touch was otherworldly. You felt his mouth at your entrance as he slipped his tongue in between your folds to ensure you were wet enough for him. The sounds he made were provocative, deep and baritone as he moaned into you. </p><p>Once he felt satisfied, he moved up and pushed his hips into your opened legs, guiding his hard cock with his hand up and down your wet cunt. You moaned slightly at the feeling, circling your hips slowly, urging him to bring himself into you. Even though you couldn’t see it, you knew it was big and you anticipated the pain you’d feel. </p><p>You heard him inhale sharply then all at once he pushed his swollen cock into you. You winced at the pain followed by a cry of pleasure.</p><p>“Fuuuck.” Charlie gazed down watching your sex. “I’m only half way. Your pussy’s too tight.” He groaned at the view and sensation pulsating through his body. </p><p>You were already feeling stretched beyond measure and now he was telling you that he was only ‘halfway’ inside. Holy fucking shit, you thought to yourself, it was going to take time to get used to Charlie’s massive dick.</p><p>Feeling overwhelmed with desire and a bit competitive you said, “Do it, daddy. I can take it.”</p><p>You couldn’t see his eyes but you knew they were burning into you. He brought himself down and closer to your face as your torsos aligned. You wrapped your legs around his waist, loving the weight of him on top of you. His hot mouth was in your ear. </p><p>“Brace yourself.” He warned. </p><p>He jammed the rest of his length inside of you. You felt the shock of Charlie throughout your entire body. His full dick pumping in and out made you speechless. All you could manage to do was yell and moan incoherent nonsense as he worked to loosen you up for him.</p><p>His face still buried near your ear, you heard all the glorious sounds he was making while his throbbing cock thrusted in and out. His breath was ragged, his throaty growls vibrated over you as his pace became relentless. </p><p>“You’re so fucking perfect.” He groaned.</p><p>You hadn’t been fucked like this ever in your life, and you loved it. He made you feel desirable and sexy unlike anyone else. It was the ego boost you needed.</p><p>You felt Charlie push up with his arms as he hovered over you, most likely wanting to watch the show. You wish you could also see everything as you imagined what Charlie looked like as he fucked you. </p><p>“I want to see you.” You moaned.</p><p>“No.” He said, breath hot and heavy.</p><p>You mewled at his response and clenched your walls around his length, teasing him with your tightness. </p><p>He growled in reaction. “If you keep doing that, I’m going to hurt you.”</p><p>You kept doing it.</p><p>You loved challenging his threats and wanted to prove that you were capable of handling whatever he wanted to do to you.</p><p>“Oh, you wanna play?” He asked before pulling out and flipping your body over so that your stomach was pressed against his bed. You felt his hands slide up the back of your thighs, stopping at your ass and making circular motions on the cheeks. His breath was heavy as he massaged your ass with his large hands.</p><p>You tilted your hips upward, showcasing your backside to him. </p><p>“Fucking tease…” he groaned. </p><p>SMACK.</p><p>You flinched at the impact as a small shriek left your mouth. He caressed the red spot he spanked for a mere second before doing it again.</p><p>SMACK.</p><p>This time you moaned, getting used to the pain. “Again.” You requested. He did it again with more force and it sent shockwaves of pleasure through you. “More…” you pleaded. He obliged your requests until your ass was completely red and raw. </p><p>He spit in his hand and stroked his cock before gripping your love handles  and pulling you towards him.  He slammed his hips into you from behind and the new angle made you jump forward. He yanked you back to him then grabbed both of your wrists, twisting them to rest on your lower back as he held them there with one hand, imbolizing your upper body. Your face was buried into the mattress as he plunged into you. </p><p>You moved your head to the side so you could breath and in doing so the blindfold slipped off your face. Once your eyes adjusted to the room, you noticed you could see Charlie’s reflection from the dresser mirror. Watching him was captivating; muscles tensed, raven hair falling forward. His face was twisted and red as you saw beads of sweat form on his forehead and neck. </p><p>He didn’t notice your blindfold was off and he didn’t realize you were watching him. It was like your own private show and you grinned to yourself, moaning even louder. You felt your third orgasm starting to rise at the sight of him thrusting into you with passion and virility.</p><p>You were at the cusp but couldn’t quite get there and that’s when you saw him reach his arm around your waist. When his middle finger came in contact with the nerve endings of your clit it sent you into overdrive and within seconds your pussy was milking his cock as you came hard and fast. </p><p>You screamed and writhed under him as you moved your body flat to the surface of the bed, clenching your legs together. He joined you without missing a beat and kept fucking you, his lips on the nap of your neck now as you rode through your peak. Your whole body quivered under him. His hips still rocking into you, breathing heavy as he grabbed a handful of your hair and tugged.</p><p>“I’m gonna cum so fucking hard.” He whispered roughly into your ear. You bucked your hips backward to help him go deeper. Charlie hissed through clenched teeth as he began to release his pleasure. He growled and groaned and moaned inaudible words as he rocked irracticaly into you. </p><p>You were both breathless as Charlie laid on top of you, his chest heaving against your back as mutual sweat joined between your bodies. He gently pulled out and you flinched at the sensation. He rolled over to his back, parallel to you still on your stomach as he turned his head to face you. </p><p>He brushed your hair away from your face with his hand. “Hungry?” he asked, still short of breath.</p><p>“Starving.”</p><p>You smiled at him, hoping he was referring to food now as you weren’t sure how much more of ‘daddy’ Charlie you could take at the moment.</p><p>He grinned as he lifted himself off the bed, helping you along the way. He led you into his master bathroom and started the shower. He threw the used condom into the trash can before grabbing a soft, fluffy towel from the linen closet. </p><p>Charlie tested the temperature of the shower stream with his hand and led you into the shower with him. He put you under the stream first and gently caressed your body as the water trailed down and over your curves. </p><p>“The only shampoo I have is for men. Is that okay?” He asked politely. You nodded sweetly at him before he reached over you to grab the bottle. If using his shampoo meant that you would smell like him, you were more than happy to bathe in it. </p><p>He was gentle and procedural as he washed your hair and body. He focused on the actual task at hand and you felt like a goodness under his touch as he handled you with care. Once he addressed you, he moved to himself, scrubbing his hair as you stood watching him under the stream of water.</p><p>You grabbed the body wash and slowly wiped the loofah across his back, spreading the soap generously as you slid your free hand over his skin. He became still under your touch, his head hanging low and you wondered if you did something wrong. </p><p>“Is this okay?” you asked softly, hoping he would let you return the favor and bathe him like he bathed you.</p><p>He was silent for a second longer. “Yeah.” he finally answered. </p><p>No one had ever taken care of Charlie in the way you were doing. He was usually the one responsible for all the cleaning, cooking and generally being the adult who made sure everyone was bathed and fed before bed. He didn’t know how to respond to someone wanting him to take a break so that they could take care of his needs. </p><p>Once you were finished he placed a kiss on your forehead. “Thank you.” he said in a low voice. He turned the shower off and opened the towel in front of you, wrapping it around your dripping body. He tucked another towel around his waist and stepped out of the shower with you.</p><p>“You’ll stay with me tonight.” he said as he made long strides over to his dresser. He pulled out a t-shirt and basketball shorts from the drawer and laid them on his bed. “You can put these on.” You stood at the bathroom doorway still wrapped in your towel watching his every move.</p><p>He quickly dried himself off and put on a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. “Take your time, I’ll be downstairs starting dinner.” And just like that, there you were; alone and naked in Charlie Barber’s bedroom. </p><p>You dried yourself off and picked up the clothing he left for you, holding the shirt up to your frame comparing its large size to your body before slipping it on. His clothes felt great on you, comfortable and loose. </p><p>You walked over to his nightstand and picked up his watch to examine it. It was a beautiful timepiece and you loved the way it looked on him. You noticed an engraving on the back of the face plate; “C.B.”. The man sure loves to personalize things. As you placed it back down you saw his nightstand drawer was slightly open. You felt tightness in your belly, knowing you shouldn’t peak inside but you were curious to know more about the man who defied all logic and made you cum harder than ever, thrice in a row. </p><p>You looked over your shoulder at the doorway before pulling the drawer open.  Gold wrapped condoms glistened from inside. There had to be at least a hundred of them. Black rope, duct tape and what appeared to be a ball gag caught your attention next. </p><p>You pushed the drawer shut as your stomach sank knowing he uses these things on other women. And by the number of condoms you saw, there were a lot of women. It seemed evident to you by now that you were dealing with a dominant who appeared to be conditioning you to be his submissive. You weren’t totally sure what that meant… did he have other submissives? Would you be sharing him? </p><p>You didn’t like those thoughts. And you shuddered at the idea that tonight was just a one time thing. </p><p>Ben was waiting for you to come home so you could talk about what happened.<br/>
But you wouldn’t be going home tonight. You would leave Ben pacing and guessing where you were in hopes he would feel the kind of rejection you felt when you caught him cheating. You would eat a home cooked meal made by Charlie and sip on wine as you both discussed the play. You would lounge on the couch cuddling into him as he read a book of poetry aloud to you. You would fall asleep, naked and intertwined in his big, warm bed. </p><p>Even if it ended up being for just one night… you would spend that one night safe and sound in wondrous bliss.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Instincts</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Soft shadows and warm morning light danced across the wooden floor of the bedroom. Charlie was already out of bed, opening the windows to let in the refreshing sounds of dawn. It was part of his morning ritual before he got dressed, made coffee and caught up on some reading. But something was different about this routine, though; You. He wasn’t used to having anyone actually sleepover. Fuck their brains out? Sure. Fall asleep tangled up in each other’s arms afterwards? Not so much. </p><p>Charlie finished buttoning up his shirt as he walked over to his side of the bed, picking up his watch from the nightstand and putting it on. He looked down at you, slightly smiling at the way you were curled up and still sound asleep. Almost by natural impulse he leaned over the bed and placed a gentle kiss on your temple. Only after he pulled away from you did it even register to him how tender his actions were. He wasn’t annoyed that you stayed the night; hell, he was the one who demanded it. He wasn’t pacing the room, waiting for you to wake up so he could have his personal space back. Instead, he tip-toed around, quiet as a mouse because he wanted you to get as much sleep as you needed. </p><p>It was at that moment Charlie realized that he cared about you, deeply. And it wasn’t something he was ready for. </p><p> </p><p>You stretched your arms above your head as you turned your body over letting your eyes adjust to the morning light cascaded across the bed. It took you a second to comprehend you weren’t in your own bed, but Charlie’s bed. You ran your hands over your body also realizing you were nude. </p><p>You sat up, hugging the sheet around you as you scanned the empty room. You inhaled the charming scent of Charlie’s cologne that was still lingering in the air along with the aroma of fresh coffee brewing. You brought yourself to your feet and dropped the sheet on the bed, letting the morning sun kiss your skin. Glancing across the room you noticed your original clothes were folded neatly on Charlie’s dresser. He was such a tidy person and you almost felt challenged to be tidier around him. You weren’t a slob by any means but compared to Ben, you were the tidy one.</p><p>As you dressed yourself you noticed how sore your ass was and you twisted your body so you could see yourself better in the dresser mirror. There was a clear red imprint of a large hand on both of your ass cheeks. It made you smirked, the way Charlie marked you as if you were his property. You had been spanked before but only during sex. Charlie spanked you for the actual act of it; the enjoyment of watching you gasp and flinch under his hand, before he started fucking you again. </p><p>As you started to walk out of the room, your eyes stopped at his nightstand. You remembered what you saw in there and the questions you still had. You imagined how strange it would be having some kind of kinky relationship with your director while your boyfriend, or shall we say ex-boyfriend, worked alongside you for the next several weeks. Charlie was probably too smart for that. He wouldn’t let something frivolous derail the show and he certainly wouldn’t want his sex life to be on anyone’s radar. He was so private about his personal life that most of the time people would just make up assumptions and those assumptions would turn into rumors. You’ve heard all kinds of tales about him but Charlie never seemed to be phased by any of it. It was if he was just existing to do his job and everything else was nonsensical bullshit that came with the territory of show business. </p><p>So, maybe this was just a one time fling.</p><p>You made it to the foot of the stairway as Charlie was making his way out of the kitchen with a cup of coffee in his hand. You stood on the last step meeting Charlie’s gaze even though he was still several inches taller than you. He handed you the coffee mug, his mouth slightly curled into a grin. </p><p>“Good morning.” He said, voice smooth like honey.</p><p>You lifted the mug to your nose and inhaled. “Mmmmm…. indeed.” You locked eyes and stood gazing at each other for a moment. You felt butterflies in your chest remembering all the things he did to you only hours before. </p><p>“We should probably talk.” Charlie broke the silence as he stepped back, giving you space to follow him. For whatever reason, your stomach sank at his invitation. You knew this was inevitable, of course you would have to talk about what happened and the expectations going forward. You just hoped it wasn’t a farewell sendoff. </p><p>You sat down at the kitchen table with your coffee, glancing over to the counter as you recalled using it for stability when Charlie made you cum not once, but twice in a row. You felt your face ignite with heat remembering the sight of him on his knees for you.</p><p>Charlie sat across from you with his coffee and notebook. You looked down at the notebook, wondering if this was going to be work related as he opened it and started flipping through pages.</p><p>He stopped on a page and clicked his pen. “What’s your work schedule at the spa?” He asked, brows lifted at you.</p><p>“Oh. Um. It’s Sunday through Tuesday right now to accommodate the theatre schedule.” You answered before taking a sip of coffee. You watched him write it down on the blank page. </p><p>“And your home address?” He asked next, not moving his gaze up from the page.</p><p>You felt your stomach twist since you shared the apartment with Ben. You hesitated in answering, wondering why he wanted it. There was no way in hell you would ever have Charlie over at your apartment for anything. Even though you were still upset with Ben, you still felt obligated to keep things respectful when it came to your living situation.</p><p>Charlie said your name and you stayed silent as he gazed up at you. You weren’t sure what his angle was with this random Q/A but you had questions of your own that you needed answers on, too.</p><p>“What are we now?” You broke the ice, getting straight to the point. “I need to understand what … this…. is from your point of view.”</p><p>Charlie laid his pen down and slumped back in his seat. “Okay. We can start there.” He stood up from the table and walked to the counter, leaning on it as he talked. “You’re...exceptional. I want to be with you. But I should define what that really means to me.”</p><p>You turned your body so that you were facing him in your chair as you crossed your leg. “Go ahead.” You suggested he continue as you sipped on your coffee, feeling your ego build after he called you ‘exceptional’.</p><p>“I’m not traditional. My intentions aren’t focused on the future.” He began pacing the kitchen floor as he spoke with his hands. “I don’t make promises I know I can’t keep anymore. I live with realistic expectations.”</p><p>Your eyes watched him as he paced back and forth in front you as you quietly listened. </p><p>He stopped for a moment, hand on hip while he stroked his chin trying to articulate his thoughts. “I’m drawn to you. But… I want to be upfront. I don’t want to mislead you into thinking this could ever be more than what we do on a physical level.”</p><p>You gave him a slight smile. “Is this the Charlie Barber way of asking to be ‘friends with benefits’?” You found it entertaining how he was struggling to just say that he wanted a fuck buddy out of you and nothing else. </p><p>Charlie exhaled sharply and he shook his head at your candor. “If that’s what it’s called, then yes. That’s what I’m proposing we do.”</p><p>You stared at each other in silence for a moment before you heard your phone vibrating on the kitchen counter. Your eyes darted to it, almost forgetting that you even owned a cell phone and probably had a thousand missed calls from Ben since you never went home last night.</p><p>“It’s been going off all morning.” Charlie said, eyes never leaving you. “Come to my bedroom when you’re done. We still need to finish a few more things.” He walked out of the kitchen and headed upstairs to give you privacy.</p><p>You stood up and reached for your phone. “Holy shit.” you said to yourself. Twenty notifications of missed calls and texts, all from Ben. You didn’t even bother reading any of them as you hit the call button.</p><p>“Where the hell are you?” Ben answered, within the second ring.</p><p>“Good morning to you too.” You said sarcastically with a slight smirk to yourself knowing how upset he was with you. </p><p>“Don’t be cute. I’ve been up all night worried sick.” Ben sighed loudly into the phone. You couldn’t remember the last time he was this agitated with you. </p><p>“Well, I’m sorry to hear that. I slept great.” You shot back as you sipped your coffee. Normally when you and Ben would argue, it’s you who’s trying to calm the waters but not this time. He hurt you and made you feel foolish last night. You didn’t feel responsible for coddling his feelings any longer.</p><p>Ben paused and you heard him sniffle quietly. “Come home. Please. We need to talk about this.”</p><p>You traced the edge of your coffee mug with your finger, considering his words. Going home to talk meant that you would be faced with the life you’ve built together, surrounded by pictures, keepsakes and memories of all the good times. It would distract you from what was happening in your life, right now; how Ben had cheated and how Charlie had just begun to change your perception of possibilities. </p><p>You followed your instincts when you decided to walk away from Ben and show up on Charlie’s door step. You follow your instincts when you asked Charlie to make you cum with total conviction. So far your instincts had been on point and you decided in that moment that you would no longer let your emotions or mind dictate what you should or shouldn't do. </p><p>“I don’t want to come home. If you’d like to talk, we can meet somewhere on neutral ground.” </p><p>Ben was taken aback at how stoic your voice sounded, void of emotion. He was on the verge of tears and you were completely indomitable. He wondered if his actions broke you to the point of no return. He loved you, and he did want to marry you but the growing distance between the two of you caused him to lose sight of the big picture. Ben wanted to work things out but he feared maybe you had already moved on. </p><p>He whispered your name. “... where did you stay last night?”</p><p>Your heart jumped into your throat as you ran your hand down the kitchen counter, mind wandering back to last night and all the sexy things Charlie did to you.</p><p>“A friend’s house.” you answered quietly, your eyes gazing upwards, knowing Charlie was waiting for you upstairs in his bedroom.</p><p>Ben sounded irritated at your lack of details but you both knew he had no right to question your actions after what you caught him doing. </p><p>“Can we… grab dinner tonight after the show?” he asked in defeat.</p><p>“Okay.” You at least needed to talk through how you would divide your belongings and deal with telling your families. “See you then.” </p><p>It felt weird not saying ‘I love you’ as you normally would when hanging up but you resisted the natural urge.</p><p>“I love you.” Ben's voice was clear and concise but you couldn’t bring yourself to say it back. Especially not while standing in Charlie’s kitchen. </p><p>“Goodbye, Ben.” </p><p>You hung up the phone and sat it back down on the counter. Guilt started to creep in and you hated how it made you feel. Your instincts told you not to say it, so you didn’t. Now they were telling you to go upstairs to Charlie.</p><p>So you did.</p><p>Charlie was sitting peacefully in a chair by the window totally enthralled with the book he was reading. You leaned on the doorframe, staring at him with your arms crossed. He was such a beautiful man, you thought, smiling to yourself. You glanced over and noticed that the items from his nightstand were laying across the bed on display.</p><p>“What’s this?” you broke the silence as Charlie perked up realizing you were in the room. He closed his book and placed it on the small side table.</p><p>Walking towards the bed, he motioned with his hand. “Come, I’ll show you.”</p><p>You tried to appear as if you didn’t already know he had these things. You leaned over to examine them closer. “Hmm. Looks like a kidnapper’s starter kit.”</p><p>Charlie, grinning, reached down and picked up the black rope. “Perhaps. But I use them as tools...” His hand found your wrist as he lifted it. “Tools to enhance pleasure.” He lifted your other hand.</p><p>“May I?” he asked, holding the rope against your wrists to demonstrate. Your eyes met his and you nodded. Charlie wrapped the rope around your wrists strategically into a binding cuff on each one and knotted it together, creating a loop in the middle. It was definitely not his first time tying someone’s wrists together and a part of you cringed at that reality.</p><p>“Does that hurt?” He asked as he inspected his work. </p><p>“Nope.” you said. He tugged on the loop and the cuffs tightened. “Oh…” you flinched as the unexpected sensation.</p><p>“Now?” he cocked his brow at you.</p><p>It was cutting off some circulation as you opened and closed your fists. The pain was moderate and caused tingles to radiate up your arms. You liked it.</p><p>“No.” you gave Charlie a crooked grin. </p><p>“Excellent.” He pulled on another section of the rope which released the pressure. He untied you and placed the rope back down on the bed. </p><p>Moving to the next item, he picked up the duct tape and pulled on the tab, extending a few inches out with the sound of a tear. He lifted your hand back up to him as he pressed the piece of tape on the inner part of your wrist. </p><p>Grasping your forearm with one hand and the tape with the other, Charlie swiftly snatched the tape from skin. You sharply hissed through your teeth. “Fuck!” You saw a red mark immediately start to form.</p><p>“Hard, or soft limit?” He asked you.</p><p>You rubbed your wrist with your other hand and looked up at him, pinching your brows together. “What?” </p><p>“I’m speaking of boundaries. Hard limit means you didn’t like it and never want me to do it again. Soft means you aren’t sure but you're open to more exposure to it before deciding.”</p><p>“Okay. Soft, I guess. And only if I request it.” You answered, still rubbing your wrist. </p><p>Charlie nodded in agreement, tossing the roll of tape back onto the bed and moving down to the last item; the ball gag. Your heart fluttered with nervousness. You had been gagged once before during your time with Scarlett. She loved being gagged but you found it to be unpleasant. Mostly because it scared you not being able to vocally communicate ‘no’ or ‘stop’. You knew this was a hard limit for you and you worried it would disappoint Charlie.</p><p>He held up the gag, making eye contact as he tried to gauge your reaction. He saw how your jaw became rigged and your eyes narrowed at the device hanging from his hand. </p><p>“Hard limit?” He asked, curious of your answer. </p><p>You bit the inside of your cheek, frowned and nodded. “I’m...sorry. It’s a trust thing, I think.”</p><p>Charlie put the gag down on the bed and cupped the sides of your face. “It’s okay, sweetheart. You don’t need to apologize.” He kissed your forehead and you felt a sense of ease come over you. It warmed your heart seeing how understanding and affectionate he was being when you just rejected something he enjoys. </p><p>He held your face for a moment, his dark eyes peering into yours. Warm desire spread from your core throughout your body and your breath picked up. How did he manage to turn you on with a look? </p><p>“So what’s next, daddy?” You tilted your face up towards him. </p><p>A devilish grin grew across his face as his cock began to swell watching you behave so well-mannered for him.</p><p>He brushed his thumb across your lips with thirst in his eyes. “I want to see what this mouth does.” He said in a low, lustful voice.</p><p>You parted your lips slowly and by reaction Charlie slipped his thumb into your mouth. You pressed your lips around his thick thumb and sucked slightly, tasting the saltiness of his skin. By the expression on his face and throaty growl he let out, you assumed he was about to eat you alive. </p><p>Charlie began walking you backwards towards the chair he had been sitting in as fire buzzed through his veins. He released his hold on you before lowering himself into the chair. You stood in front him, waiting for him to give you instructions.</p><p>He leaned back in the chair and began unbuckling his belt, eyes never leaving yours. </p><p>“On your knees.” his voice was low and broken from eagerness as he worked to further undo his pants. You carefully lowered yourself to the floor, keeping a seductive gaze on him, feeling powerful even though you were the one following orders. </p><p>He pulled his massive cock free with his hand and tilted it towards you as he licked his lips. “Can you make me cum with your mouth?” He smirked, asking you the same question you asked him last night before he devoured you whole.</p><p>You narrowed your gaze at him. “Daddy, I can make you cum with many things.”</p><p>You leaned towards him, wrapping your dainty hand around this thick length as you meticulously licked up the underside of his shaft, from the bottom to the very tip with your warm, wet tongue. He studied your every move, mouth agape, watching you glide your tongue across his nerve endings on the head of his dick.</p><p>“Fuuucking shit.” He said under his breath, pleased with how you teased him.</p><p>You made small, wet circles on the head of his cock before gradually dipping your head down to insert the first few inches of him into your hot mouth. You heard a moan escape him from deep in his chest. You rose back up to meet his gaze for a moment and lick the tip once more before sinking your head back down as far as you could go until you felt him hit the back of your throat, making you gag slightly.</p><p>“Jesus fucking Christ… that’s it. Take the whole thing.” He combed his fingers through your hair, bunching a handful at the crown of your head as he held it there with one hand, letting you lead the rhythm at your own pace. Your hand moved in tandem with your mouth, stroking him as drool covered his shaft. </p><p>You picked up the pace to match his groans and heaving breathing. You felt his legs straighten and become tense as he got closer and closer to his brink. You began moaning as you felt his cock throb in your mouth and the vibrations made him hiss in delight. He bucked his hips upwards, fucking your mouth as a flood of satisfation consumed him. Sounds of gagging escaped your throat.</p><p>“GOD, yes… fucking choke on it.” He said through clenched teeth as his legs began shaking. You loved being able to make his entire body quake with only your mouth. </p><p>Charlie filled your mouth with his seed as you worked to swallow it down in between his irregular thrusts. You kept your mouth on his cock until he released everything into you. When you felt him start to relax, you carefully pulled yourself off, licking up the remains along the way. </p><p>Charlie looked blown away letting his head fall backwards and rest on the back of the chair as you gazed up at him, your hands resting on his knees, feeling a sense of pride. </p><p>“Feel good?” you asked in jest. </p><p>“Too good.” he laughed. </p><p>Charlie’s laugh was infectious; deep and pure, full of joy. A rare emotion from him that you wish you could bottle up and listen to anytime you felt somber. </p><p>Now that you had “business” taken care of, you and Charlie put yourselves back together and walked down the block to a local cafe. You sat across from one another in comfortable silence as you sipped on some chamomile tea and shared a blueberry muffin. He read a book as  you scrolled through your cell phone, reading articles and reviews of different Broadway plays, including your own. </p><p>“.. the chemistry between Jenna and Dr. Pomatter’s character felt more like a silly sitcom romance than a serious love interest like it should be portrayed…”</p><p>You scoffed at the critic’s remarks, reading it out loud to Charlie. He didn’t even look up from his book.</p><p>“Don’t read reviews. It will just drive you mad.” He said, bringing his latte up to take a sip.</p><p>“You don’t read reviews of your work?” You asked, quizzically. </p><p>He shook his head. “I have a small network of people who I look up to and trust for critiquing my work. Everyone else is just noise.” </p><p>You considered his thoughtful system of trusted allies, knowing his opinion certainly mattered most to you. “Do you think my chemistry on stage needs improvement?”</p><p>“If I did, I would’ve said something.” He looked over at you. “It’s your scene partner who needs work.” </p><p>“Oh. Have you already talked to him?” You asked.</p><p>“Of course.” he assured you as he took another sip. “But I may ask that you both stay after the show tonight to work through some scenes.” </p><p>You bit your lower lip and your expression turned pensive remembering how you agreed to have dinner with Ben after the show.</p><p>“What?” Charlie questioned your change in demeanor. </p><p>You took a deep breath. “I’m supposed to have dinner with Ben tonight. After the show.”</p><p>Charlie stared at you in silence. You weren’t sure if he was angry, jealous, or just plain uninterested in your plans.</p><p>“Is that… a problem?” you asked, looking at him with innocent eyes.</p><p>Charle shook his head. “Of course not.”</p><p>He lied to you. An indescribable amount of jealousy swept over him, imagining you and Ben talking about mending things over a candle lit dinner. Charlie couldn’t even remember the last time he felt jealous. He wasn't even jealous when his ex-wife, Nicole, introduced her new boyfriend to him as they were finalizing the divorce. He didn’t know how to process this strange emotion so he just suppressed it, telling himself it would pass with time. </p><p>After coffee with Charlie, you decided to run home before the show to grab some things you needed like your makeup, toothbrush, hair supplies and some clean clothes. You hadn’t talked to Charlie about staying another night with him and you certainly didn’t want to overstay your welcome so you arranged to stay with Jeffrey, a close theatre friend of yours, for the next two nights. Jeffrey lived in Williamsburg with his boyfriend, David, which was about a twenty minute subway ride from your apartment. </p><p>You weren’t sure if Ben would be home or not but your plan was to quickly grab your belongings and shove them into an overnight bag to take over to Jeffrey’s before making your way to the theatre. </p><p>You unlocked the front door and stepped into the apartment, taking notice that Ben cleaned the living room. He hardly ever cleaned and you rolled your eyes at the half hearted gesture. You heard some movement from the kitchen then saw Ben walk out, drying his hands on a towel from doing the dishes.</p><p>“Hey.” He said, giving you a slighted smile.</p><p>“Hey. I’m just here to grab some things before the show.” you said, avoiding eye contact as you proceeded through the living room to the bedroom.</p><p>Ben tossed the tea towel to rest on his shoulder as he followed you through the apartment. He leaned on the doorframe with his arms crossed, watching you grab a duffel bag and throw clothes into it. </p><p>“It looks like you’re leaving me.” Ben bleakly suggested. </p><p>You continued roaming the room as you grabbed the essentials. “I need to be away from here for a few nights to clear my head.”</p><p>Ben nodded, gazing to the floor. “Are we still on for dinner tonight?” He looked back up at you with hopeful eyes.</p><p>“I don’t know, actually. Charlie said he needs Sam and I to stay after the show and work on some scenes.”</p><p>Ben lifted himself off the doorframe and straightened his posture. “Charlie? When did you see Charlie?”</p><p>Shit.</p><p>You quickly saved yourself. “He asked me to meet him for coffee this morning.” </p><p>It wasn’t a lie. Charlie did suggest you both go to the cafe. The fact that it just so happened to be right after you gave him an award winning blowjob was an extra detail that Ben didn’t need to know.</p><p>Ben's expression looked suspicious so you pushed back. “What? I can’t have coffee with the director of the play?”</p><p>He shrugged. “I didn’t realize you exchanged numbers.” </p><p>You cocked your eyebrow at him. “ I didn’t realize you and Gabrielle exchanged them, either.”</p><p>Ben slowly walked over to you. “I told you, she means nothing to me. It’s over. It was just a stupid fling that I got caught up in.” </p><p>You scoffed, pushing past him to grab what you needed from the bathroom. </p><p>“I never meant to hurt you… I’m sorry for being such a selfish asshole.” He pleaded as you shoved literally anything you could find into the bag, not even paying attention anymore. </p><p>“Ben.. STOP. Okay? I don’t want to hear it!” You shouted at him. “You fucked up. So you’re just going to have to deal with the consequences, whatever they may be.” </p><p>Ben conceded and let you finish packing in peace. He knew this was probably the end of your relationship with him but he wasn’t going to stop trying, even if it meant starting over. Couples go through rough patches like this all the time and he believed he could win your trust back eventually. He just had to prove himself to you.</p><p>Before you walked out the front door to leave, Ben stopped you.</p><p>“I’ll wait for you tonight. Let’s at least figure out something that works for us in the short term. Please?” </p><p>You paused with the door opened and looked back at him, nodding in agreement before walking out. </p><p>Ben loved you, and knowing that Charlie’s only intentions were purely physical, you didn’t want to completely dismiss Ben because you did still love him. You just hated what he did and you weren’t sure if you could forgive him.</p><p>You weren’t exactly innocent, either. Afterall, you did kiss Charlie before you knew Ben had cheated. And if you were being totally honest with yourself, you may have taken things further with Charlie no matter what. Perhaps you and Ben just needed a break to explore what you really wanted in life and would eventually come back to one another someday.</p><p>But in the meantime, you were perfectly happy letting Charlie Barber show you what you’ve been missing.</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Fifteen Minutes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Charlie’s sexual desire for dominance was deeply rooted in feeling like he didn’t have control over his life when he was married leading up through the divorce. In his experience, marriage was about compromising and divorce was about negotiation. Rarely did he ever feel like he was living life to its fullest, through his own needs and wants. </p><p>Once he moved back to NYC a year ago, he discovered that he could express his desire for control through sex. He studied the theory of it before ever exploring it in person. Through his research, he found and joined an exclusive club in the city for people who wanted to experiment with the world of BDSM in a safe and confidential environment. </p><p>He spent about six months as an official member of the club, meeting and networking with other like minded people. While he experimented with submissives, he never actually ‘owned’ one. He avoided that part since he believed it could lead to a deeper affection and he wasn’t looking for any kind of bond to someone. He was able to meet a few women who preferred to just hook up from time to time, letting him play the dominant role without any strings attached. Charlie also met women at a few bars that the club recommended for casual connections. </p><p>He knew this type of behavior was considered immature and careless, but he felt fulfilled by the act of it. More notably, Charlie didn’t even believe he actually deserved to be loved again. It wasn’t something that he ever admitted to himself, but his avoidance of monogamy and relationships all stemmed from his inability to process what happened in his marriage. </p><p>Charlie had cheated on Nicole when they were together, blaming her for pushing him away and never having sex with him. She hit him with the hard truth of how disgusted she was by him, blaming him for the downfall of their marriage. He said horrible things in rebuttal that he never imagined he would ever say to anyone, let alone the mother of his child. It was a screaming match by the end of it all and he hated who he had become. He condemned falling in love for creating a fog of unattainable expectations. </p><p>Charlie was watching the same thing happen to you and Ben, further confirming his theory that love only causes pain and disappointment. </p><p> </p><p>After the show wrapped up that night, Charlie proceeded to the green room to catch you and Sam for some critiquing and to run through some lines. Ben stopped Charlie at the stage door hoping to talk him into letting you leave early. </p><p>“Hey, I’d like to take my girlfriend out for dinner, any chance we can have them run through your notes tomorrow?” Ben asked, holding the door open as Charlie stood in the entryway. </p><p>Charlie’s jaw tensed at Ben, and his nostrils flared involuntarily. Even though he was smiling on the inside knowing how Ben was totally oblivious to how he had already claimed you last night, Charlie was still pissed that Ben would refer to you as his girlfriend. </p><p>“Give me 15 minutes with her then I can work with Sam on his own.” Charlie said, glancing down at his watch.</p><p>“Great… just let her know I’ll wait for her out front.” Ben smiled, giving Charlie a friendly tap on the arm. Ben released the door and walked away as a sinful grin appeared on Charlie’s face.</p><p>Fifteen minutes… just long enough to make you cum, he thought to himself. Perfect.</p><p>You were chatting with Sam in the green room when Charlie walked in. He motioned for you to follow him, and told Sam he would come back for him in a moment. That didn’t seem unusual as Charlie would typically give notes to actors individually.</p><p>You followed him down the hall in the opposite direction of the stage. “Uhh, where are we going?” you asked, trying to keep up with his long strides. </p><p>Charlie stopped at a door, twisting the knob and swinging the it open to a room that was used as an office at the theatre. There was a desk in the middle of the room and some bookshelves stacked along the walls with random boxes and paperwork pushed together, collecting dust. You walked into the room, eyes darting around the place while you crossed your arms. Charlie released the door and walked up to you, lips crashing against yours as he pushed you backwards towards the desk. </p><p>His quick movements surprised you as you tilted your head back and his lips moved from your mouth down your neck to your clavicle where he started sucking on your soft skin.</p><p>“Whoa… are we doing this here?” You said, grinning, not really against the idea but feeling cautious in case there was anyone still hanging around besides Sam. </p><p>“You have fifteen minutes.” Charlie said in a low voice between the wet kisses on your neck.</p><p>“Until what?...am I being timed now?” You said, jokingly.</p><p>“To cum for me.” He said in a low voice, pushing up the skirt of your costume as his hands searched to tug down your panties. He leaned down to remove them completely from your legs, and bunched them up in his hand before bringing them up to his nose and taking in a deep inhale. His eyes lit up at your scent and you felt a rush of embarrassment flush over your heated face.</p><p>“Fucking perfect.” He said as he stuffed them into the pocket of his slacks. He slowly unzipped his pants as he stared into your eyes. Your breath picked up and you felt yourself ache for him as you bit your bottom lip. You pulled your skirt up over your ass as you leaned back to sit on the desk. </p><p>Charlie noticed how eager you had become. “You want daddy to fuck you on that desk?” he asked as he seductively pulled his hard length free, stroking himself at the sight of you. </p><p>You gradually slid your legs open and nodded in agreement as Charlie watched you intently. He stepped forward and positioned his hips in between your knees, hand on his swollen cock as he rubbed it on your entrance. His gaze was focused on your sex and your gaze was focused on him, watching his heavy breathing through his parted lips as he face became tense. </p><p>He looked up at you and your eyes met. Even though this was your second time fucking, it was the first time you could actually see him since you weren’t blindedfolded. </p><p>Without a word he shoved himself into you fully, eyes never leaving yours. Your mouth dropped open and you began to let your head fall back and eyes close in ecstasy. Charlie grabbed your jaw with his hand and pulled your face back to meet his gaze. “No...” He demanded. “...you’re gonna watch me fuck this tight pussy like a good girl.”</p><p>He released your jaw and you kept your eyes locked on his as he roughly thrusted into you. His fingers were digging into your hips as he picked up his pace, gaze only moving from yours to watch himself pound into you in between heavy panting. You tried to keep your moans to a minimum but you felt your release starting to build and found it more difficult. You wrapped your arms around Charlie’s neck and pulled him close so that you could muffle your moans into his broad shoulder. </p><p>“Do it… do it for me. Cum.” he ordered through gritted teeth, his face near your ear as you kept your face buried into him. </p><p>It was right after your orgasm hit it’s peak that it even occured to you that Charlie wasn’t wearing protection. You were so wrapped up in the moment that you forgot to even ask if he had a condom with him since you definitely didn’t have one. You took the pill but he didn’t know that. </p><p>Charlie’s body started to tense as he pounded faster into you and you knew he was close. “Are you gonna cum, daddy?” you asked, innocently. Charlie growled in response. </p><p>He pulled out quickly, stroking himself. “On your knees...” he ordered as you dropped to the floor, looking up at him with big eyes. “Open that fucking mouth.” He was on the edge of his peak watching you obey him as he kept pumping his fist on his hard cock. </p><p>He grunted loudly when hot ropes of cum released from him and landed into your wanting mouth and face. </p><p>Charlie was breathless as he looked down at you, dripping in his cum. That’s exactly how he wanted to send you off to dinner with Ben. </p><p>He helped you up to your feet and you turned to grab some kleenex from the desk, wiping the remains of him off your face. Charlie put himself back into his pants before glancing at his watch. </p><p>“You better go before you’re late.” Charlie said, tone almost sounding sarcastic. </p><p>Confused about what he was referring to, you shrugged. “Late for what?”</p><p>Charlie zipped up his pants and redid his belt. “Dinner with your boyfriend.” he gave you a squinted eye.</p><p>You had completely forgotten about dinner with Ben. You remember he said he’d wait for you after rehearsal. “Don’t call him that.” You shot back, looking for your underwear then realizing Charlie had them in his pocket. You held your hand out at him. “Panties.”</p><p>Charlie looked at you and shook his head. “These are mine now.” He said before turning to leave the room and walk back to the green room. </p><p>“Hey!” you shouted as you proceeded to chase after him. “Give me those, I wore a dress here tonight.” You didn’t like the idea of going to dinner with Ben commando when you just fucked Charlie moments beforehand. </p><p>Charlie smirked. “If you want them back, you know where I live. They'll be there.” You stopped dead in your tracks when you saw Ben down the corridor heading your way. </p><p>“Hey… what was that all about?” Ben asked, watching Charlie walk away.</p><p>You sighed in frustration. “Nothing.” you looked back to Ben. “I just need to change clothes then we can go.” </p><p>Dinner started out exactly as you anticipated it would; awkward as hell. Ben kept trying to make it seem like a romantic date. He asked for a secluded table in the corner of the restaurant and made sure to order a nice bottle of wine as soon as you both sat down. </p><p>After you placed your orders, Ben slowly reached over the table to hold your hand. You slowly pulled back out of his reach in response and let your hands fall into your lap.</p><p>“Ben...” you shook your head and gave him a warning look. “We aren’t here for that. We need to talk about how we are going to divide our belongings.” </p><p>Ben sighed deeply as he gazed down at the table. “Alright, fine.” He looked back up to you. “I don’t want  you to move out. We can take a step back from our relationship but..let’s keep the apartment and just respect each other’s space.” Ben was trying to find common ground with you so that you didn’t leave him. </p><p>You shifted in your seat, trying to consider his words but then felt the fabric of your dress scratch your bare ass, remembering that you weren’t wearing underwear. And then remembering why you weren’t wearing underwear. Images of Charlie cumming on your face flashed into your mind and your heart fluttered feeling like a total bad girl sitting across the table from Ben. </p><p>“No. That won’t work for me.” You said, tugging at your dress as you adjusted it. </p><p>Ben leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms as he watched you. “There’s someone else, isn’t there?”</p><p>You felt heat crawl up your spine. You didn’t want Ben to know about Charlie since it could cause problems with focusing on the play. But you did want Ben to know that there was someone else… you wanted him to feel the same heartache that he caused you.</p><p>“Yes. There is.” You said, matter-of-factly. “But you don’t know him.”</p><p>Ben narrowed his eyes at you in suspicion. “Oh really?” He mocked. “Who is it?’</p><p>You felt your palms starting to sweat. “Someone I met at work… the spa…” you shrugged, not making eye contact with him. It wasn’t a total lie. Charlie was technically a client of yours at the spa now. </p><p>Ben smirked at you. “Isn’t hooking up with spa clients against your code of ethics?” You could tell he was getting upset thinking of you with someone else. </p><p>Good, you thought.</p><p>“Well, it’s not like I fucked him on the table.” You argued back, silently trying not to raise your voice in such a public place.</p><p>A look of fury washed over Ben’s face. “But you did fuck him?”</p><p>You rolled your eyes at his accusation. “Yes!” you shouted this time. “And it was amazing.” Some patrons looked your way.</p><p>Ben brought his wine glass up to his lips and chugged it until the glass was empty. He sat the glass back down in front him as he stared at it. “Okay. I deserve that.” He said as he nodded. “Can we at least start over? As friends?” Ben was desperate at this point. </p><p>You figured that was the best option right now at least until the play was over. You needed this to be an amicable split but if he was refusing to let you out of his life, then you would only be a friend to him and nothing more. </p><p>“Okay. Friends.” You agreed, giving him a somber nod. </p><p>You finished the rest of the dinner keeping the conversation focused on the play and future projects. It was practically a business dinner which you felt relieved over. </p><p>You excused yourself to use the restroom before the bill came and as Ben reached into his pocket for his wallet he noticed your phone light up with a notification. He casually leaned over to look at your phone screen and he saw Charlie’s name. The text was password protected so he couldn’t see what he said but it didn’t matter. Ben became instantly suspicious, remembering back to Charlie’s behavior towards you during the cast dinner on opening night, then how he caught the two of you earlier in some kind of quarrel right before you both left for the restaurant.</p><p>You came back from the restroom and sat down as Ben slowly pulled cash out from his wallet to pay.  You leaned down to grab cash from your purse to pay for your half when you noticed a missed notification on your phone. Your face flushed immediately when you saw Charlie’s name and you pulled the phone down to your lap under the table to read it. </p><p>“Stay with me tonight.”</p><p>You stared at the text for a moment, imagining what it would be like to wake up in Charlie’s bed again and you grinned slightly at the thought. Just as you started to type a response Ben broke your focus.</p><p>“It’s Charlie, isn’t it?” Ben asked, raising his brow at you. </p><p>Your eyes moved from the phone screen to Ben. “What?” you said, not ready to admit guilt yet.</p><p>“The other guy… it’s Charlie.” Ben said, tossing the money onto the table. Your heart sped up, almost in a panic of how you should respond. You looked back down at the text and swallowed.</p><p>Ben scoffed at your silence, taking it as an admission of truth. “You know he gets around, right? He doesn’t flaunt it but I’ve heard plenty of stories. He’s just going to hurt you.”</p><p>You couldn’t believe Ben had the nerve to accuse Charlie of “getting around” after you just caught him cheating on you. </p><p>“You’re unbelievable.” You said in defiance, shaking your head. Anger started to build in your blood. “I actually wanted to marry you, Ben. Walk down the aisle, share vows in front of all my friends and family… have kids with you...the whole fucking thing. But what did you do? You fucked someone we work with…that you don’t even care about...for what?...” You paused to chug the rest of your wine before gathering your things. </p><p>You practically slammed the empty glass back onto the table. “You broke my heart. So if fucking Charlie makes me feel better… then I’m going to do it. And YOU of all people don’t get to judge me for that.” You scooted your chair back forcefully, stood and left Ben alone at the table to pay in full for dinner.</p><p>Even if Charlie did end up hurting you later, at least he was upfront and honest with you about who he really was and his intentions. You’d rather be hurt by the truth than be hurt by a liar.</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. The Rise of Lady Domme</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>You walked out of the restaurant and stopped on the sidewalk, pulling your phone out to figure out where to go. Even though you wanted to see Charlie, your blood was still boiling from the argument with Ben and you really just needed a break from it all. You proceeded across the street to the subway entrance and took the train up to Jeffrey’s where you’d be staying for the next few nights.</p><p> </p><p>Jeffrey’s boyfriend, David, was at work so the two of you were able to hang out and catch up alone which you were looking forward to. You met Jeffrey years ago when you were in a small play together and you hit it off right away. He was funny, warm and always lit up a room with his bright personality. Your favorite part about him was the dark humor you both shared. Sometimes you guys would laugh until you couldn’t breath over some dirty joke that no one else seemed to find as funny. </p><p>Jeffrey plopped down on the sofa next to you, handing you a mystery cocktail as he grinned at you mischievously. </p><p>“And what is this??” You asked as you sniffed the drink, shocked at how strong it smelled. </p><p>“Does it matter?” He chuckled, as he sipped on his own drink.</p><p>At least it tasted good but you knew only one was going to be enough, especially since you had wine earlier. </p><p>“So how are things with David?” You asked, peeking up over your drink.</p><p>“You really want to hear how well things are going with David when you just caught Ben cheating on you?” Jeffrey smirked. “I’d be a selfish bitch right now if I were you.” </p><p>You chuckled to yourself thinking back to how you’d been behaving since you caught Ben. “Who says I haven’t been a selfish bitch?” You cocked your brow at him.</p><p>“Oh really? Do tell.” Jeffrey situated himself on the couch to lean in, ready for you to spill the tea. </p><p>You considered whether you should tell Jeffrey about your new sexcapade, knowing that Charlie was a well-known director and very private about his life. But you just couldn’t resist.</p><p>“I fucked Charlie Barber.” You blurted out before quickly covering your mouth with your hand.</p><p>Jeffrey’s jaw dropped to the floor and his eyes lit up. “Excuse me??? Are you fucking serious?!?” </p><p>You nodded, pulling your hand away for a moment. “You can’t tell anyone.” you warned. </p><p>Jeffrey sat back on the couch as he processed it. “He’s like… my fantasy guy. He’s so tall and mysterious, like a sexy unicorn man.” He took a sip of his drink as you lowered your hand and did the same, staying silent for a moment as you both thought about Charlie. </p><p>“Please tell me his dick is big.” Jeffrey said as he squinted trying to imagine what sex with Charlie was like. You smacked his arm and he acted like it hurt. “What?! Let a boy dream you filthy whore.”</p><p>You bit your lip. “It’s everything you could ever imagine... and more.”</p><p>Jeffrey’s eyes rolled back into his head. “Bless you, hunty. You are living the dream right now. Sayonara, Ben!” He reached over to clink his glass on yours as a toast before you both took a drink.</p><p> </p><p>About two hours later you found yourself drunk and high, giggling uncontrollably at a movie that Jeffrey put on the TV. It felt so good to finally laugh and feel carefree after the rollercoaster you’d been on. </p><p>You heard your phone buzzing on the coffee table and you leaned over to pick it up. </p><p>“Is it Ben?? Tell him to fuck off!” Jeffrey called out as he got up to grab another drink.</p><p>It was Charlie. He was calling you since you didn’t answer his previous text.</p><p>“Shit, it’s Charlie!” you shouted, sitting up on the couch, staring blankly at the phone in your hand.</p><p>Jeffrey ran back into the living room, eyes wide. He saw your hesitation. “Uhmmm.. ANSWER IT.” </p><p>You looked up at Jeffrey. “But… I’m soooo high...” you laughed.</p><p>Jeffrey rolled his eyes as he took the phone from you and answered it. You shot up from the couch, stunned at his action and nervous about how this would play out. You silently waved your hands ferociously at Jeffrey, mouthing to him to hang up.</p><p>“Hola, Lady Marmalade’s phone, how can I be of service?” Jeffrey answered in a sweet and sexy tone. You nearly died as both of your hands covered your face in embarrassment. </p><p>“My, my… what a deep voice you have, sir. She’s right here.” Jeffrey handed you the phone with a smirk. You gave him a threatening look as you snatched the phone from him. Whatever buzz you had before was now gone as you sobered up quickly. </p><p>“Hey, sorry about that,” you said, squinting in shame. Jeffrey leaned in a little so he could hear and you nudged him but he didn’t move.</p><p>“Do you like making daddy wait for you?” Charlie’s voice was low and dark. </p><p>With a look of utter shock, Jeffrey pulled back, and fainted to the sofa in jest at hearing Charlie refer to himself as your “daddy”. </p><p>You walked to the bathroom, shutting the door behind you for privacy.</p><p>“I’m sorry, I forget to text you back.” You said as you sat on the edge of the bathtub.</p><p>“Don’t be sorry, just get over here.” He ordered.</p><p>He appeared angry and you wondered what kind of trouble you would find yourself in if you went to Charlie’s.</p><p>“Well, I'm a little drunk at the moment so…” you said sheepishly.</p><p>“Tell me where you are and I’ll send a car to come pick you up.” He replied, sounding eager. You gave him the address as you bit your lower lip. </p><p>“A car will be there soon. Be ready.” Charlie said tersely before hanging up. You weren’t sure if he meant ‘be ready’ for the car or ‘be ready’ for him. </p><p>You walked out of the bathroom and saw Jeffrey sitting neatly on the sofa with one leg crossed over the other, staring at you. You paused in front of him getting ready to speak but he interrupted you.</p><p>“Sweetie, the next words out of your mouth better be: Jeffrey, I’m leaving to go get fucked properly by ‘daddy’ Charlie. Don’t wait up.” He said as he took a sip of his drink.</p><p>You smirked at him. “That’s exactly what I was going to say, actually.” </p><p>“Thank GOD.” Jeffrey exclaimed, as you rushed over to grab your overnight bag. </p><p> </p><p>You stood on Charlie’s doorstep with butterflies in your stomach, waiting for him to answer. When the door opened you saw him standing tall, wearing all black, from his good boy sweater all the way down to his black sneakers. The look practically intimated you but also sent fire to your core. He stepped back and let you enter the foyer before closing the door. </p><p>You stood face to face with him now, his expression blank and dark. </p><p>“Hey, sorry it took so lon-.” You said sweetly but he interrupted you.</p><p>“Stop talking.” He ordered, eyes glaring into yours.</p><p>You gulped as you stood in front of him, peacefully now, waiting to understand why he was angry with you.</p><p>“I don’t like waiting.” Charlie broke the silence. “You made me wait.”</p><p>Was that what this was about? He was mad because you forgot to answer his text and come over right away? You couldn’t contain the eyeroll that escaped you and that’s when Charlie grabbed you by your throat and pushed you up against the wall. You fitched on impact, your back pressed up against the hard wall as Charlie’s lips hovered inches from yours. </p><p>“Are you mocking me?” Charlie’s voice was stern as he lightly squeezed your neck. </p><p>You stayed silent, keeping your stare on him in a competing manner. Seeing him like this turned you on and apparently you found a trigger; the magic button that made Charlie want to punish you... making him wait. It was such a simple thing and you were going to have fun so much with it.</p><p>“Maybe you need to learn some patience.” You replied, smugly. Charlie’s eyes practically lit on fire. No one had ever talked back to him before and he became equally turned on and furious with you.</p><p>“You better watch that fucking mouth of yours.” He said, breathing wildly, as he pinned you against the wall considering all the things he was going to do to you.</p><p>“No, daddy...” You said, challenging him. “You watch it.” You slid down the wall to your knees, unzipping his pants. Charlie was practically in awe at this point as he watched your mouth devour his thick, hard cock. He had never experienced such a shift in dominance and it sent shockwaves of serotonin throughout his body. There was something about you calling the shots that made him feel desired in a way he had never felt before. </p><p>But he still yearned for control.</p><p>He looked down at you, his jaw slacked as you looked up at him, guiding his dick in and out of your mouth at a seductive pace. </p><p>Perhaps it was the alcohol still working it’s way through your body that gave you the confidence needed to take Charlie’s power away, but whatever it was, it made you feel alive. </p><p>As you kept your pace, you felt him start to clench his body and knew his peak was rising, as he planted both hands on the wall in front of him for support. You paused to pull your mouth away as you lazily stroked him. “You only get to cum when I say so.” You said, eager to teach Charlie his first lesson in patience. </p><p>Charlie’s chin trembled when his orgasm that was once building began to dissipate. He hissed in response, gazing down at you in between his arms. “You’re a fucking brat.” He seethed.</p><p>Eyes on his, you slowly pushed yourself back up as he removed his hands from the wall. You both stood, staring at each other with intensity, neither one wanting to give up control over the other.</p><p>You tilted your chin upwards in defiance as his eyes peered down at you. You smack him across the face and his head whipped the side.</p><p>“Get on your fucking knees before I make you.” You demanded in an arrogant tone.</p><p>Charlie’s face strained and it looked like he may erupt with rage. But then, ever so gradually he lowered himself to the floor, his gaze focused downward along the way. He rested on his knees in front you, head hanging low. </p><p>You put your hand on his chin and pulled his face up to meet your gaze. “That’s more like it. Good boy.” You said softly as you stroked his hair, giving him praise. </p><p>Charlie balled up his fists as he felt a surprising amount of pleasure wash over him from your validation. He looked up at you doe-eyed with innocence as his breath became shallow. </p><p>You were feeling even more powerful as you looked down at Charlie on his knees for you, waiting for you to give him his next order. At that moment you realized that maybe Charlie needed a safe word as you assessed everything you wanted to do and say to him. </p><p>“Tell me your safe word.” You instructed, already putting him in his place.</p><p>Charlie gazed up at you, his appearance emotionless. “I don’t want one.” He said in a low voice, feeling as though he didn’t deserve it. He wanted whatever punishment you deemed necessary so that he could feel reprieved. Anything you said or did to him would be fully deserved in his eyes. </p><p>Adoration washed over you knowing he instilled so much trust in you. You lifted your dress up over your hips, holding it at your waist as you exposed your bare lower half to him. His eyes moved towards your sex almost forgetting that he still had your panties in his pocket from earlier. His breath picked up and he licked his lips as he stared at your pussy, wanting so badly to taste it.</p><p>“Does daddy want some?” you asked seductively as you moved your hips side to side. </p><p>Charlie nodded as he looked up at you with desire on his face. </p><p>“Then daddy needs to start at my feet, and work his way up.” You said pointedly as you slipped your shoes off. </p><p>Charlie immediately moved his lips all the way down towards the floor and placed soft, wet kisses on both of your feet. He gradually worked his way up both of your legs, kissing and licking each inch of your delicate skin until he reached your thighs. His hands roamed upwards to your hips and you felt his fingers dig into your skin.</p><p>You put one leg over his left shoulder, pressed your back into the wall behind you then raised your other leg over his right shoulder. Still on his knees and with the wall helping to support you, he held you up on his shoulders diving his face into your core and devouring your wet cunt as if he was his last meal.</p><p>His hungry mouth felt so good against your sensitive folds and you began rocking your hips back and forth on his tongue. Charlie found your clit and slid his tongue over it as he sucked. You moaned loudly and bucked your hips forward as he matched your movements, keeping his mouth on you, sucking wildly. He hummed into you and your orgasm became closer and closer. </p><p>“Is this what you wanted? To be my little fuck toy?” You said through gritted teeth in between your heavy breaths. Charlie worked even harder, burrowing his face into you. “Make me cum, you fucking whore.” You moaned and he growled in response, ravaging your pussy.</p><p>You came hard, feeling your cunt pulsate against his tongue. Charlie slipped a long finger inside of you and the sensation made you yelp. He pulled his finger out and sucked on it, making sure he tasted every part of you as you rode out your pleasure. </p><p>One by one, you removed your legs from his shoulders and Charlie rose from the floor. Just as you were about to reprimand him from moving off of his knees before you ordered him to, he moved quickly to throw you over his shoulder. </p><p>“Hey, wait! I didn’t say you could get up!” You argued with your head turned upside down, trying to squirm free from his stronghold. Charlie slapped your ass, carrying you over his shoulder as he proceeded up the stairs. </p><p>“It’s daddy’s turn.” He said in an evil tone. </p><p> </p><p>He threw you on his bed and you bounced on the landing. Before you even realized it, he had already grabbed the rope from his nightstand and was pulling you by the ankles to the edge of the bed. </p><p>“Give me your wrists.” He demanded.</p><p>You disobeyed, staring up at him as you casually leaned back on the bed, not giving him anything.</p><p>Charlie gripped your neck with his large hand. “Don’t you remember the second rule?” He fumed.</p><p>You kept your eyes locked on him as he squeezed your throat. <br/>”Make me.” You taunted.</p><p>For some reason you wanted to keep challenging him and pushing your luck. You blamed your instincts for causing you to act out. And once again, they were right.</p><p>Charlie forcefully kissed you, his hand still clamped around your neck in an attempt to smother you. Finding it more difficult to breathe, you brought both hands up to tug at his hand on your throat. He released you and grabbed both your wrists, tying them together as he had done before during his demonstration. </p><p>Once you were bound he guided you up to the middle of his headboard, attaching the cuffed rope to a hidden hook. You were laying on your back with your wrists bound and arms extended upwards. Charlie stood up and studied you as he stalked around the bed, turning away momentarily to retrieve the blindfold. He walked back to the side of the bed and reached into his pocket, pulling out your black lace panties from earlier. </p><p>You watched him lay both the blindfold and panties on the bed. He removed his watch and placed it on the nightstand before pushing up the sleeves of his dark sweater. He grabbed both items and proceeded onto the bed. You were both still fully clothed, minus your underwear, as he spread your legs open and positioned himself on his knees in between them. </p><p>“You think you’re gonna get away with being a little bitch?” He shoved your panties into your mouth. “Keep your filthy mouth shut.” He put the blindfold over your eyes rendering you blind. </p><p>You felt him shift on the bed to remove his sweater, then you heard the unbuckling of his belt. You became wet at the mere sound of him undressing, trying to imagine how his muscles flexed with every movement. You hated not being able to see him and now you weren’t going to be able to touch him either. </p><p>You felt him rub his thick cock on your folds. “… look at this fucking cunt, so wet for me already.” He slowly dipped an inch or two of himself inside you as you moaned. He retracted quickly, rubbing the head of dick against you again. He did this several times in a row as you writhed under him. </p><p>The fucking prick was teasing you.</p><p>You bucked your hips forward as you groaned into your panties out of frustration.</p><p>Charlie chuckled in a devilish manner. “What’s wrong princess, don’t have any patience for me?”</p><p>You thrusted your hips up again and that’s when you felt him plunge inside of you. A muffled shriek escaped you as pain and satisfaction rushed over your body. He was merciless, pumping himself fully into you each time as you cried out. He grunted and groaned above you as you felt the rope around your wrists tightened with every thrust. </p><p>You tried to say something to him but it came out in muffled nonsense. Charlie tore the panties from your mouth. “Are you ready to apologize?” he said through labored breaths as he kept fucking you.</p><p>Feeling competitive, you took a few deep breaths. “Fuck you.”</p><p>Charlie gritted his teeth as his face became red with anger. He contemplated how to deal with you since this was uncharted territory for him. Attitude was one thing, but you were testing his limits. Even though he loved playing a submissive role for you, he also needed to be in control. </p><p>He pulled out and sat up on his knees, catching his breath as he glared down at you. You couldn’t see him but you knew his eyes were burning into you. You swallowed waiting for his next move but nothing happened. </p><p>“I want to see you.” You said softly. Charlie hesitated a moment before reaching forward and removing the blindfold. Once your eyes fell on him, you saw the internal struggle he was having painted all over his face. </p><p>“Untie me, Charlie.” You wanted to feel his body and hold him close. His nostrils flared as he felt conflicted. This was his bedroom, his world and his rules. And you were breaking them one by one. </p><p>Charlie sighed deeply as he reached over and released you from the hook. He began untying the rope from your wrists and once free you rubbed them. He carefully lifted your hand up to his lips and softly kissed the red marks along your wrist. </p><p>“Undress me.” You ordered quietly, watching his lips soothe your sore wrists.</p><p>Charlie moved his hands to your waist to pull your dress up and over your head. You removed your bra and laid back down, completely bare before him and unbound. You instructed him to remove the rest of his clothing which he obliged. </p><p> </p><p>You bent your knees and let your legs fall open as you began slowly touching yourself. Charlie breath picked up as he stood next to the bed watching you. He reached down to stroke his cock but you insisted he stop. </p><p>“Not yet. You’re only going to watch me... do you understand?” You raised your brow at him as your fingers started working a little faster. </p><p>Charlie’s chest puffed up as he was panting, wanting so badly to be touched. “Hurry up.” He demanded. “I’m going to fill you up with my cum.”</p><p>His words sent excitement through your body and you tilted your head back moaning, rubbing your clit faster. You heard him growl, swollen cock twitching at the sight of you pleasuring yourself while he stood there, unable to move.</p><p>Your moans become more frequent, feeling your climax heighten. “Lay across the bed.” You ordered him.</p><p>Charlie laid down along the foot of the bed on his back and you moved quickly to straddle him. He held his cock upright for you as you slowly lowered yourself onto him. He groaned with delight feeling your tight, wet cunt swallow his length. </p><p>You were overwhelmed by the feeling of him inside you as you pulled your hips up and pushed them back down to take more of him in each time. His hands slid up your thighs as you rode him slowly. You grabbed his wrists and pinned them above his head as you continued to ride him at your own provocative pace. He could have easily overpowered you physically but instead he played along, letting you restrain him as he kissed and sucked on your breasts.</p><p>Your pace picked up as you bounced up and down on his dick, marveling in the sensation of your orgasm reaching its peak while the sound of skin to skin slapping together ferociously filled the room. Charlie finally overpowered you, bringing his hands back down to your hips as he smacked your ass hard. </p><p>“You like riding this cock, don’t you?” He asked while thrusting upwards into you, matching your movements. </p><p>You moaned in agreement as he smacked your ass cheek again, slamming your hips back down onto his dick like a savage.</p><p>You started cumming hard, walls contracting around his thick cock and that’s when you felt him fully erupt inside of you. He squeezed your love handles as he growled and yelled obscenities while you rocked back and forth, riding out your orgasm. His hands moved to pull you in close to him for a deep kiss. </p><p>Once your hips stopped moving, you pulled your lips away from his and you both stared at each other, completely breathless. Two competing dominates having traded their power back and forth to harmonize with each other’s needs. </p><p>In the aftermath of it all, sweat dripping from you both, chests heaving together, there were no worlds to be spoken. You lifted yourself slightly off of him and you felt his seed begin to drip out of you. He cupped the sides of your face, eyes peering into yours as he pulled you down to kiss him one last time.</p><p>You laid on his bed in utter exhaustion as he got up and walked into the bathroom. You stared at his ceiling in wonderment. Being Charlie’s submissive was sexy as hell, but being his dominant was exhilarating. You had never felt more empowered in your life than you did ordering him around as he literally kissed your feet. You understood why he loved it so much. </p><p>You heard the sound of water running in the bathroom and you looked up to see Charlie walking back towards you. Without a word, he lifted you from the bed and carried you into the bathroom where he had been preparing a warm bath. He lowered your feet to the floor carefully as you stood. </p><p>“Take your time, sweetheart.” He kissed your forehead softly. </p><p>Your hands slid down his bare chest and you gazed up at him.</p><p>“Be careful, daddy. If you keep treating me like a Queen, I’m going to start demanding it from you.” You smirked, running your fingers down his abdomen, dangerously close to his manhood.</p><p>He looked down at you with a grin, eyes glimmering with pride as he considered what he had awakened inside of you.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, your Majesty.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Scarlett</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had been two days since you caught Ben cheating and two nights sleeping in Charlie's bed with him. Although you had once again awoke to an empty bed as Charlie was already downstairs, you figured climaxed six times in two days was a pretty solid compromise. Perhaps one day you would wake up in Charlie’s arms, in awe of how sleepy his face would look, hair charmingly disheveled. </p><p>You lifted yourself out of bed and stretched before heading into the bathroom to freshen up. You saw a few things set out on display upon the vanity; a brand new toothbrush, toothpaste and lavender scented shampoo and conditioner. The thought of Charlie going out of his way to get these things for you so that you’d feel more comfortable at his place gave you butterflies. </p><p>You took a shower and used the thoughtful items as you got ready for the day. Once you got to the foot of the stairs you smelled something delicious in the air coming from the kitchen. You rounded the corner and saw Charlie sitting at the kitchen table, sipping on his coffee as he quietly read a book. </p><p>“Good morning.” you said sweetly as you tipped your nose upwards and inhaled. “What is that delicious smell?”</p><p>Charlie peeked up from his book and grinned. “Muffins. Blueberry.” </p><p>You walked over to him, humming in delight. He closed his book, watching you approach him and he opened his arms, inviting you to sit on his lap. You nestled up to him and ran your fingers through his ebony locks as he purred. “Did you sleep well?” you asked softly.</p><p>“Better than ever.” He mewled as his lips grazed your neck, inhaling your scent through his nose. “You smell nice.”</p><p>You grinned. “Thanks, my fuck buddy bought me some goodies.”</p><p>You heard him chuckle against your skin. “Is that what my name is now?” </p><p>You tugged his hair, extending his neck to look up at you. “You always be daddy.” you said, giving him a confirming look. </p><p>He growled at your answer. “That’s my good girl.”</p><p>You heard a buzzing sound from the stove and Charlie perked up. “Muffins are done.”</p><p>You wiggled on his lap teasingly before getting up, to which he smiled and spanked your ass. Walking over to your purse, you grabbed your phone to check your messages. Three missed texts from Ben (insert eyeroll), then a missed call and voicemail from… Scarlett.</p><p>You blushed at the name. You hadn’t seen or talked to Scarlett in at least a year. The last time you ran into each other at a random nightclub, she looked absolutely stunning. She was definitely one of those exes who just keeps getting hotter as time passes, making you regret every giving them up.</p><p>As Charlie took the muffins out of the oven you casually slipped into the hallway to listen to the voicemail in semi-privacy. You had no idea why she would’ve reached out but you were curious as hell to know.</p><p>“Hey love, it’s Scar. I wanted to see if you were free for dinner this Saturday? I read in the Times that you’re starring in some big Broadway play and I’m so happy for you! Would love to catch up. Call me.”</p><p>Your heartbeat sped up hearing her sweet voice. You lowered the phone and stared at it in your hand while grinning uncontrollably. Charlie peeked around the corner and saw you. “Was that your other fuck buddy?” he said in jest, but secretly hoping he was wrong.</p><p>You looked up at him with a sparkle in your eyes. “Remember my safe word?” </p><p>Charlie adjusted his posture, standing tall and crossing his arms as he grinned. “Scarlett.”</p><p>“Yeah. Scarlett.” You said, sliding the phone into your back pocket. “I’m having dinner with her after the show on Saturday.” </p><p>Charlie, unknowing of who exactly Scarlett was to you but curious, tilted his head to the side. “Should I be jealous?” He asked, raising his brow. </p><p>Memories of Scarlett flashed in your mind, her signature crimson lips, dark hair, and soft, caramel skin. She was vixen if there ever was one, and you honestly couldn’t believe you were lucky enough to date her for a year. The only reason that you two broke up was because she came from a strict catholic family and she was too afraid to tell them about you for fear that they would disown her. At the time, still being in college and needing their financial assistance, she wasn’t willing to let it all go. But when you ran into her a year ago, she was liberated from all of that nonsense and free to live her life open and proud without their acceptance. </p><p>“Last time I checked, ‘friends with benefits’ aren’t allowed to get jealous. That’s one of the benefits.”  You leaned up and kissed his cheek. “Can’t wait to try one of your muffins.” you whispered before skipping back into the kitchen.</p><p>Charlie was left standing in the hall trying to understand why jealousy was even closing in on him. He remembered feeling the same way when you told him about going to dinner with Ben. He turned towards the kitchen and watched you pick apart one of the muffins, bringing small pieces up to your mouth, savoring each bite. With hands on his hips, he sighed. There was something about you. Something that made him forget who he thought he was and question everything he believed. </p><p> </p><p>You spent a few hours working at the spa that afternoon before the show that evening. While working you realized that you still had red marks on your wrists from last night. The rope tightened so much that it left almost a rash on your skin. You hoped the marks would diminish before anyone noticed.</p><p>Once you were done with work you stopped by a coffee shop to relax and call Scarlett back. She answered after only a couple of rings.</p><p>“So glad you called.” She answered quickly.</p><p>“Hey. Great to hear your voice. How are you?” you replied with a smile, feeling your heart beat faster.</p><p>“Things are good. I’m finishing up some work right now but are we on for dinner tomorrow night?” She asked, voice sounding hopeful.</p><p>“Absolutely. There’s a new sushi place in Williamsburg, I can send you the address.” You offered.</p><p>“Great. Will Benjamin be joining us?” She asked, sounding curious. She knew of Ben from school and the few times she exchanged pleasantries with him. </p><p>You sighed into the phone. “Ben and I… aren’t together anymore. We broke up two days ago”</p><p>There was a brief pause on the line.</p><p>“Sorry to hear that, love.” Scarlett said, sounding genuine. “Are you okay?”</p><p>You considered her kind words, thinking about how much had happened in the last two days and how good you were feeling, despite catching your longtime boyfriend cheating. “I know this sounds crazy but… I actually feel great.” you chuckled.</p><p>“Well in that case, it sounds like we have a few things to celebrate then.” She said in an upbeat tone. Even though you couldn’t see her you knew she was smiling seductively into the phone.</p><p>“Most definitely. Can’t wait to see you, Scar.” You replied, biting your lower lip.</p><p>“I’ll be there with bells on.” She said before hanging up.</p><p> </p><p>The show that night went well for the most part. There were certainly some weird vibes from Ben and Gabrielle but you paid it no mind. After the curtain call, you headed to the dressing room to get changed. Ben stopped you in the hall as everyone was piling into the green room. </p><p>“Hey. I wanted to apologize for yesterday. You’re right. I shouldn’t have judged or said anything about it.” Ben seemed genuinely apologetic so you let him continue. “It’s just that… I still care about you. And I truly do want the best for you.”</p><p>You sighed as you tucked your hair behind your ear. Ben saw the red spot on your wrist and quickly grabbed your hand. “What happened here?” He asked, inspecting your wrist, then looking at your other hand noticing the same redness. “Are you hurt?”</p><p>You tugged your hands away from him. “I’m fine, it’s nothing.” you said, dismissing him.</p><p>Ben looked at you with concern. “It doesn’t look like nothing.” He brushed your hair away from your neck and saw more red spots around your throat. He whispered your name and you pulled your face away from his hand. “What the hell… did he hurt you?” He asked, growing more worrisome. </p><p>“Ben, no, stop. It’s fine.” You brushed him off and that’s when Ben saw Charlie approaching from behind you. His eyes darted from you to Charlie as he pushed passed you. </p><p>“Hey man. We need to talk.” Ben said to Charlie, trying to assert his dominance. Charlie furrowed his brow at Ben then looked at you. He wasn’t aware that you had confessed anything to Ben since you never told him. You were too busy fucking his brains out to even talk about the dinner you had with Ben last night.</p><p>“Okay. What about?” Charlie crossed his arms, trying to play dumb for the moment. </p><p>“You know what this is about.” Ben said sternly as he looked at you then back at Charlie. Other castmates were still walking in and out of the nearby green room, some sensing the tension between the three of you.</p><p>“Okay. Listen… let’s go somewhere private and talk about this like adults.” You intervened as Charlie and Ben stared each other down like competing animals. You tugged at both their arms, leading them down the hall to find a secluded spot. You stopped when you reached the very same office that Charlie devoured you in only yesterday, right before your dinner with Ben. You walked past the threshold, holding the door open as Ben walked in first then Charlie followed, giving you a devilish smirk at your choice of location. </p><p>You closed the door and turned to face them. Ben was leaning up against the desk with his arms crossed. Yes… THAT desk. You shook the memories from your mind as you tried to focus on the issue at hand. </p><p>“I told Ben about us, Charlie.” You said, watching Charlie’s eye twitch when you called him by his real name. He sighed and swallowed, nodding along but staying silent. “...and I think he has some questions about a few things.” you trailed off as you looked over at Ben.</p><p>Ben stood and walked over towards you, pulling your wrist up to show Charlie. “What you do is none of my business, but this is a little much, don’t you think?” Charlie examined your red and raw wrist for a moment before looking at Ben. “You’re not fooling me. I know all about you, man. And if I find out that you’ve taken things too far and you hurt her… I’ll come after you.” Ben finished, releasing your hand. </p><p>Charlie’s blood boiled witnessing Ben act so protective over you, accusing him of ever physically hurting you beyond your limits. He leaned in, fuming, “You’re right. It’s none of your fucking business.” </p><p>Ben stepped closer in on Charlie, eyes filling with fire, and that’s when you nudged yourself in between them.</p><p>“Hey. Stop. I think everyone forgot that I’m an adult, and can make my own choices.” you said, pushing Ben back away from Charlie. “I don’t need you to protect me. We’re just… having fun. Okay?”</p><p>Ben exhaled sharply and shrugged. “Sure. Fine.” He said, before walking out, leaving you and Charlie alone. </p><p>You turned to face Charlie, noticing the anger behind his features. You raised your hand to caress his cheek and he slightly pulled away from your touch. That made your heart drop, feeling rejected for the first time ever by him. </p><p>Charlie shook his head in disapproval. “I don’t need this.” He said, voice low and harsh.</p><p>“You don’t need this? What does that mean?” You asked, pinching your brow together. You thought it was strange that Ben of all people would cause Charlie to back down. You wondered if you did or said something wrong. </p><p>“You’re good to stay at your friend’s house tonight, right?” He asked, dismissing your question. </p><p>You paused, feeling even deeper rejection consume you. “Yes…” you said, barely above a whisper. </p><p>“Good. We’ll talk tomorrow.” He said quickly before leaving the room.</p><p>Sadness came next. You stood frozen in the room alone now as you tried to process what just happened. How was it that the two men in your life failed you so quickly, one after the other? You didn’t want to cry but you felt yourself losing control. You stayed in the empty room until you could successfully swallow back the tears. You didn’t bother changing out your clothes at the theatre and instead you grabbed your belongings and headed straight for the subway. </p><p>As you laid on Jeffrey’s couch in the pitch black living room, you mindlessly scrolled through your phone for some kind of distraction. You found yourself down the rabbit hole of Instagram and came across a recent post from Scarlett. Instagram was the only social media she bothered her time with since she was a writer and photographer. </p><p>She had been working on a series of sensual boudoir portraits of all sorts of people. She was passionate about photography playing a key role in getting others to come out of their shell and seeing themselves in the most beautiful and unexpected ways. She believed everyone had a secret double persona, another side of them that they kept buried deep. She wanted to capture who that was and always encouraged her clients to give their alter egos another name to summon them. </p><p>She hardly ever posted photos of herself but you did find one that she took about a month ago. She was lying on a bed, white sheets twisted around her frame with her curves peeking out and dark hair cascading over the white sheets in contrast. She either had no makeup on or very little applied… She was naturally gorgeous. </p><p>You stared at the photo, her sultry eyes glaring into the camera. You licked your lips and swallowed as you slowly dipped your hand under the blanket to touch yourself. It had been a while since you masturbated to the thought of Scarlett but anytime you did, you would refer back to the fond memories of how soft and smooth her body felt against yours. Her full, luscious lips kissing your skin, licking and sucking all the right spots. How she inexplicably always smelled like sweet vanilla and coconut. You loved how quickly you could make her cum with just your hand. She practically lost her mind anytime you went down on her. She was sexy as hell and being with her made you feel on top of the world. </p><p>You came hard and fast, clenching your jaw and holding your moans into your chest so that you didn’t wake up Jeffrey and David. Once you finished, you exhaled deeply, looking at the photo one last time before smiling. You’d see her tomorrow after the play and you could hardly wait.</p><p>The next day flew by as you kept busy trying to find a decent apartment at a decent price in Brooklyn. You figured a studio was the most affordable option but you worried about making ends meet. You considered a roommate and figured it would be your last resort. You really wanted to try and make it on your own for once. You just needed a place to sleep and shower since you planned on keeping busy with work and acting gigs. </p><p>You heard nothing from Charlie that day and when you arrived at the theatre, he was nowhere to be found. As you were doing your hair and makeup with your castmates, Ben came into the room to make an announcement.</p><p>“Hey guys, looking great. We got a full house so let’s be on our top game. Pre-show will be done in ten minutes. Listen for your cue. Charlie is out tonight, so let me know if you need anything.”<br/>
Ben nodded to the group and gave you a quick glance before leaving.</p><p>Charlie never called in. He was always there, at every rehearsal, every event and certainly every live show. You bit your lip wondering where he was and why he was skipping the play. </p><p>“That’s crazy…” Sam said, sitting next to you as he applied some concealer. </p><p>“What?” you said casually, fluffing a makeup brush across your check. </p><p>Sam dropped his concealer and looked at you. “Charlie’s not here. That’s weird. He’s always here.” He rummaged through his makeup bag. “Do you know why?” He asked while searching for some powder.</p><p>“No.. why would I know?” You shrugged nonchalantly, trying to appear oblivious. </p><p>“Uhmm… because you’re like… hooking up with him, or whatever.” Sam never even looked up at you as the words left his mouth.</p><p>Your body stiffened, face twisting in confusion. Man, you were a great actor. “I’m not hooking up with him. Who told you that?”</p><p>Sam cocked his head at you, looking blasé. “Literally everyone.”</p><p>You knew Ben had something to do with it but you stood by your lie. “Well, it’s not true.” you spouted off, tossing the brush on the vanity and standing up to leave. You took notice of how others in the room were eyeing you inconspicuously, with judgement on their face. </p><p>You marched down the hallway towards the backstage when you saw Ben talking with the lightning crew. He saw you approaching, your hands balled into fists, and he took a few steps back.</p><p>“What the hell?” You steamed at him. “You told everyone? What’s wrong with you?!” </p><p>Ben gave you an unabashed look. “Whoa, calm down. I didn’t tell anyone, anything.” He placed his hands on the sides of your shoulders, pulling you over for more privacy. “It’s going around that someone caught you guys. Here.” Ben lifted his brow at you. “Is that true?”</p><p>You exhaled as you brought your arms up to release his grip on you. “You know what… I don’t have time for this high school bullshit.” You straightened your costume before leaving. You needed to get your mind in the right place before going on stage. If it was a full house the odds were high that other directors were there looking for new talent. You needed to be totally focused.</p><p>You bowed during the curtain call, knowing it wasn’t your best performance and feeling pretty shitty about it. As you changed into your street clothes in the dressing room, you checked your phone and saw a missed text from Scarlett.</p><p>“Hey love, decided to come check out your show. Break a leg! I’ll wait for you in the lobby after.”</p><p>A sigh escaped you. Of course she would come tonight, of all nights, to watch you when you didn’t do your best. You checked yourself in the mirror before heading out to lobby. Scarlett was facing the wall, looking at the listing of upcoming shows when you saw her. She wore tight, black jeans, a red top with off the shoulder sleeves, displaying her beautiful décolleté. Her long hair, pulled back in a loose french braid. </p><p>You walked up behind her, standing only a few feet away. “If it’s possible you look even more gorgeous than I remember.” You said, watching her turn around with a smile on her face. She leaned in for a kiss on the cheek and warm hug.</p><p>“Me? Look at you. You were amazing tonight.” she genuinely gushed as you gave her a humble grin.</p><p>“No.. my act was totally off tonight. But thank you, and thank you for coming.” You held her hands in yours, swinging them back and forth, as you both kindly stared at each other. “So.. ready for dinner?” you asked, licking your lips.</p><p>She gave you a seductive grin. “Absolutely.”</p><p>The restaurant was busy but you knew it would be since it was fairly new. You bumped your way through the crowd of people waiting for a table to give the name of your reservation to the host. Once checked in, you and Scarlett headed to the bar for some drinks while you waited for your table to be ready. </p><p>“What would you like?” you asked Scarlett while rummaging through your purse for a credit card. </p><p>“You know what I like. Cranberry and vod-” she started and you finished with her.</p><p>“Vodka. Right...when are you going to try something new?” you laughed at her pickiness. </p><p>“Whenever something else tastes even better.” She said, almost seductively, tilting your chin upwards with her hand as she looked into your eyes. Her words were laced in sexual undertones and you leaned over to place a soft kiss on her pouting lips. “Mmm…” she moaned as you pulled away.</p><p>Your attention was disrupted when you heard your name in a deep familiar voice. </p><p>He was standing only feet away, looking sharp in a navy sports jacket and black button up, hands stuffed into his pockets, a curious look on his face.</p><p>You cleared your throat. “Charlie. Hi.” </p><p>His eyes narrowed on you a moment, before moving his gaze to Scarlett. You inhaled sharply. “Oh, Scarlett, this is…”</p><p>He cut you off and reached his hand out to greet her. “Charlie. Charlie Barber.”</p><p>She gave him a kind smile and shook his hand. “Charlie, nice to meet you. Scarlett Rodríguez.”</p><p>He nodded sweetly at her before returning his gaze back to you. There you were, standing with your two lovers having met for the first time and you felt completely out of place. Before you could even speak again, an unknown woman approached Charlie and put her hand on his arm.</p><p>“Our table’s ready.” She said, charmingly, her hand sliding down his bicep to his hand. Charlie’s focus broke and was redirected to her. He looked back at you, unapologetic. </p><p>“Have a nice evening, ladies.” He said, walking away hand in hand with the woman.</p><p>It felt like a truck hit you as you stood frozen, looking flabbergasted. Scarlett looked you over from head to toe. “You okay, love?”</p><p>Once you remembered how to breath again, you inhaled slowly. “Uh.. yeah.” You brought your eyes to hers and felt slightly better. “Yeah. I’m fine.”</p><p>You tried not to think about him but it didn’t help that your chair ended up facing him from across the dining room. You were far enough apart to keep your conversations unheard, but the eye contact was continuous. You engaged with Scarlett as he did the same with his date, but like a magnet your eyes kept wondering back to one another. It was like the cast dinner all over again; people all around but the two of you locking eyes with your own secret language. </p><p>A part of you felt infuriated that he was with another woman, but you didn’t have room to complain because so were you. He was clear from the beginning about who he was so you couldn’t let yourself get mad. </p><p>But you could be a brat about it.</p><p>You ran your thumb across your dinner plate, picking up some sauce before slowly bringing it to your lips and sucking, all the while keeping your eyes locked on his. You saw a small grin form on his face as he watched you intently from across the room. It was a sexy move reminiscent of when you did it to him at the pizzeria right before your first kiss. He licked his lips before leaning back in his chair and sipping on his wine. </p><p>You moved your attention back to Scarlett and felt yourself becoming more and more aroused. There was something about having both Charlie and Scarlett within your line of vision as you switched your gaze back and forth between them. You felt a sense of sovereignty knowing that you’ve made them both cum hard, having overpowered them with your feisty nature. Even though you knew Charlie was now acting out and trying to affirm his dominance with this new woman, you started to feel your control coming back as you eye fucked him from across the room. </p><p>He could have his fun, but so would you.  </p><p>After dinner, you headed downstairs to the lounge area. The spacious, open room was decorated with leather sofas and chairs, accent lightning and two bars. It started to get crowded after most people had finished their dinner but you and Scarlett found a cozy spot with a few other strangers in a communal area. You sat in a chair while Scarlett sat on your lap, joyfully sipping on her drink and laughing with the new acquaintances you’d made. </p><p>It wasn’t much longer before the lounge DJ started to play house music and people began dancing. Scarlett was a fabulous dancer and you loved watching her almost as much as you loved dancing with her. She was infectious and you followed her to the dance floor, moving your bodies in tune with one another. </p><p>Unbeknownst to you, Charlie was watching from afar. His date was flirting with the bartender long enough for him to have a moment to himself, keeping his gaze locked on your body moving in sync with the music. He felt his erection push against the fabric of his pants and he adjusted himself before bringing his focus back to the floor, the wall, literally anything else to distract him from you. He switched from wine to hard liquor after that to dull his thoughts. </p><p>After a few songs, you told Scarlett you’d grab a couple of waters from the bar while she tried to find another spot to relax for a bit. Beverages in hand you scanned the lounge for her and saw her sitting with a group of people. Once you snaked your way through the crowd you saw Charlie sitting across from her, speaking with his hands as Scarlett nodded along. </p><p>You sat on the leather armrest of Scarlett’s chair and handed her the glass of water. Charlie was in deep conversation explaining his narrative of the play and creative direction. Scarlett looked totally enthralled with what he had to say, which didn’t surprise you. She was a great listener and always appreciated all forms of art. </p><p>Once Charlie finished, he took a long sip of his gin and tonic. </p><p>“Wow, I have to say, Charlie, you are very gifted. The way you see the world is so… refreshingly different. I have so much respect for your craft.” Scarlett said, as her hand rested on your leg. Charlie’s eyes followed her move and you saw his jaw tense. </p><p>“Thank you very much. But I’d love to hear more about you.” Charlie insisted, eyes moving from her hand to her face. </p><p>Scarlett began explaining her job and passions to Charlie as he listened along, while glancing at you every few moments. Charlie’s date interrupted to excuse herself to the restroom as Charlie paid no mind to her. </p><p>Scarlett paused, “you know what, I need to use the restroom, as well.” she got up and kissed you quickly before heading through the crowd, leaving you and Charlie alone. </p><p>You let yourself slide down the armrest of the chair, casually landing into the seat cushion of the chair before crossing your legs in front of Charlie as he stared at you in silence. You didn’t speak, waiting for him to break the ice.</p><p>“She’s charming.” He said, after taking a drink of his cocktail.</p><p>You smirked. “Yes, she is.” you took a sip of your water and looked over at him. “Where were you today?”</p><p>Charlie shrugged. “Busy.”</p><p>You nodded, feeling sure he meant “busy fucking someone else”. You felt jealousy in your veins and you hated it. You were going home with a gorgeous woman but you couldn’t help wanting Charlie, too. </p><p>His date came back and cuddled up next to him on the sofa. She whispered something into his ear and he grinned. You saw her hand move up his thigh and you felt fury wash over you. If you had another drink in you, you may have walked over and slapped her. But thankfully Scarlett came back before you did anything stupid.</p><p>“Oh my god, I LOVE this song.” Scarlett said, moving her body seductively in front you, giving you a show. Your fury softened as you watched her dance in front of you. Charlie glanced over and saw the expression on your face as you watched Scarlett. It was the same look you gave him when he dropped to his knees for you. </p><p>Feeling like you’d hit your peak with all the sexual tension and jealousy of the night, you bit your lip and stood, grabbing Scarlett’s hand. You placed your water down next to Charlie. “Watch my drink, will you? This won’t take long.” you gave him a wink before walking away, dragging Scarlett behind you through the crowd. </p><p>Once you reached the restroom, you led her into a stall and shut the door, pressing yourself up against the door and pulling her towards you. She kissed you deeply, hands roaming wildly over your body, grabbing all the places she remembered. You tasted the cranberry on her lips, sliding your tongue against hers as she moaned into you. </p><p>Your hand found her throat and you held her in place as you pulled your lips away. “I want to make you cum.” You whispered against her mouth, turning her around and holding her against you, hand still positioned on her neck. It wasn’t until you slide your finger inside her that you realized this was the same position Charlie had you in when he made you cum in his kitchen for the first time. </p><p>Scarlett let her head fall back and rest on your shoulder as you sucked on her neck, slowly circling her clit, dipping your fingers in to feel her warm, soft cunt tightened. Your pace picked up to match the rocking of her hips and that’s when you attempted Charlie’s move by curling your fingers deep in her cunt to find her G-spot. </p><p>You felt her tense against you at first and then all at once her moans turned loader and she covered her mouth with her own hand as you kept working on her. You squeezed her throat and felt her body start trembling. You felt her cum hard, pulsating around your fingers as her muffled screams echoed through the bathroom. There was no hiding what you two were doing but you didn’t care anymore. You felt victorious having her melt under your touch. </p><p>Once her body felt stable, you released her and she stumbled forward before turning to look at you.</p><p>“Jesus Christ… you’ve learned a few things.” She smiled, trying to catch her breath. </p><p>You looked deep in her eyes, pulling your hand up to your mouth to suck on your fingers. You made a sound of approval. “Just as sweet as I remember.” You leaned in to kiss her once more before exiting the bathroom. You knew she would return the favor later once at her place. </p><p>Charlie was nowhere to be found in the lounge but his date was still sitting where you left them. You had a feeling he was taking a smoke break outside so you made your way to the back patio as Scarlett ordered one more drink for the night before last call.</p><p>You stepped outside and were greeted by a cloud of smoke in the distance. He was leaning against the brick wall in solitude. His eyes found you and you walked towards him as he adjusted his posture, standing tall. Without a word you reached over to his hand and pulled the cigarette out from his fingers, taking a long drag from it while keeping eye contact with him.</p><p>You blew the smoke out of your mouth. “It was good to see you tonight… daddy.” </p><p>His nostrils flared at the name. You slowly reached up to place the cigarette back between his full lips and that’s when he abruptly grabbed your wrist, removing the cigarette from your hand and inhaled the scent lingering on your fingers. It was a purely animalistic move on his part and his eyes lit up. Even though you had washed your hands afterwards, you knew Scarlett’s scent was still on you. His grip tightened around your wrist as he held your hand in place, eyes burning into you, wanting so badly to punish you. </p><p>Scarlett’s voice broke the silent tension and he released your wrist, letting your hand fall. </p><p>“It was great to meet you Charlie.” Scarlett said, sweetly, wrapping an arm around your waist.</p><p>Charlie swallowed hard and pressed his lips together. “Scarlett. It was a pleasure.” He said curtly before walking back into the lounge. </p><p>Charlie went home that night and fucked his date as planned but insisted that he wear the blindfold. He wanted to forget that the woman in his bed wasn’t you. He wanted to pretend that it was you sucking his cock and riding him until he came. He wanted to pretend it was you moaning and calling him daddy. And it worked for the most part. But once they were finished and he removed his blindfold, reality hit and he felt sick. </p><p>Although your night ended slightly better with Scarlett showing you the time of your life, you still yearned for Charlie through it all. Scarlett was such a sharp contrast from Charlie in bed; she was soft, sweet and felt somewhat fragile under your touch at times. Charlie was a force to be reckoned with and you loved how strong he felt under you. How rough he was with you. How he made you feel like a goddamn woman. </p><p>Scarlett fell asleep nestled next to you while you stared at the ceiling fan swirling above the bed, playing with her hair in your hand. Perhaps you could have both. You were a selfish bitch, after all.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. The Red Room</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next three days passed without any word from Charlie. You tried to understand why all of a sudden he decided to pull away from you and go silent. Was he embarrassed that the cast knew about you guys? Did he get upset about Ben threatening him? Was it Scarlett? Perhaps it was everything.</p><p>“I don’t need this.”</p><p>You wondered what those words really meant under the surface.</p><p>It was Wednesday now and the next round of shows would begin tomorrow. You’d see him then for the first time since you ran into him and his “date” from Saturday. You still couldn’t believe you actually saw him on a real date with someone. You hated it, knowing that he was treating her to a night of entertainment, parading her around for everyone to see before he undoubtedly ripped into her tight black dress later that night. Your stomach churned thinking of her in his bed... the same bed you loved waking up in. Her naked body rolling around, tangled up with his, moaning and sweating. The mere thought of it was torture. You prayed he kicked her out before he actually fell asleep that night.</p><p>After a long and painstaking phone conversation with your mother explaining to her that you and Ben were no longer together and she was going to have to learn to accept that it wasn’t “just a break” like he insisted it was to his own mother, you called Scarlett to see if she wanted to hang out that night. You hadn’t seen her since Sunday and were yearning for some affection. She agreed to meet up but said she had something different in mind for your evening plans and wanted to surprise you. The only instructions she gave you were to show up wearing something sexy to go out in.</p><p>You didn’t have much in your suitcase in the way sexy clothes and you didn’t feel like stopping back at your apartment and dealing with Ben so you decided to go shopping. After stopping by a few stores you finally landed on a sexy black lace bodysuit that you could pair with your black pencil skirt and black boots. It showcased your breasts beautifully but the long lace sleeves still covered enough skin to keep things interesting.</p><p>You arrived at Scarlett’s that evening, dressed to the nines, looking and feeling like a queen. Her jaw hit the floor as soon as she opened the door and laid eyes upon you.</p><p>“Well, someone delivered, holy shit! Look at you.” She raved, also looking just as gorgeous in a red bodycon dress. You gave her a soft kiss on the lips, walking into her apartment before tossing your jacket onto the bench.</p><p>“So, what’s the plan? Where are we going looking like a couple of sluts?” You chuckled, watching her bend down to slip some heels on.</p><p>“Remember how we would experiment with each other? That whole...BDSM phase we tried?” She asked, pulling herself back up and giving you a knowing smile. You nodded back at her. “Well, there’s a club I found in the city and I’ve been a member for a couple of months now. It’s very interesting and very safe. I’m allowed to bring a guest tonight. Are you in?”</p><p>You chewed the inside of your cheek, contemplating the suggestion. It would be educational if anything. And from your short time with Charlie, you knew it was something that certainly opened your eyes to new and exciting things about yourself.</p><p>“I’m in.”</p><p>You took an Uber into the city and pulled up to an unmarked building. You followed Scarlett in through the large doors leading into a sterile looking lobby. Once in the elevator, Scarlett pulled out a plastic membership card from her purse and scanned it before pressing a button with the letter “R” on it. You could feel the elevator going down instead of up then abruptly stop as the rear doors began to open. You turned around to be greeted by red neon lights against the interior walls and a woman standing behind a host desk.</p><p>“Good evening, Ladies. Welcome to The Red Room. May I see your membership card?” The hostess graciously asked as Scarlett handed her the requested item.</p><p>“Miss Rodríguez, lovely to have you back. Is this your guest for the evening?” She asked, looking over to you. Scarlett confirmed and the hostess asked for your ID. She scanned it into the system and handed it back to you. “First time here, I see. Please let me know if you have any questions. Have a wonderful time, ladies.” She offered as she led you both to an interior door within the small lobby. She pressed a combination into the keypad and held open the door for you.</p><p>Seductive bass music washed over you as you stepped through the threshold. Scarlett led you down the long, dark corridor that was decorated with different colored accent lightning along the way. As you approached the main hall, you saw a crowd of people mingling in a large open space. Small, round stages peeked up through the crowd with beautiful men and women dancing on them half naked. You glanced to your right and saw a couple engaging in sexual activities as a small group of onlookers surrounded them, chatting and drinking as if they were casually watching a street performance. You looked to your left and saw a woman dressed from head to toe in dominatrix gear tugging on a leash that her submissive was attached to.</p><p>Scarlett made her way to the bar and ordered you both a vodka and cranberry juice. You rolled your eyes with a grin as she handed you her signature cocktail. “I suppose it’s best that I just follow your lead tonight, anyway.” you took a sip of the drink, scanning the room. “So, do we… dance… or…” you weren’t sure what exactly Scarlett had in mind for your night at The Red Room.</p><p>She leaned in so you could hear her over the music. “They have these observation rooms in the back. Basically, performers will put on a show and you just watch them to learn and ...whatever.” she shrugged. You were sure the “whatever” part was literal as you gazed around the room at others being so open and free with themselves.</p><p>“Cool, let’s go check it out then.” You reached for her hand as she smiled and walked you to the back of the club.</p><p>You entered a room that was half full of patrons awaiting for the next show to begin. There was a leather bench with straps hanging down from it in the middle of the room. Chairs and tables were positioned up against the walls and Scarlett chose two secluded seats in the corner for you both. You crossed your legs as you waited, chatting with Scarlett to fill the time. You started to feel nervous and excited about what you were about to witness.</p><p>The lights in the room began to dim slowly as a spot light over the bench became brighter. Others in the room took their seats when a gorgeous woman walked into the room wearing only a black lace bra, thong and heels. She positioned herself on the bench, bending over on her hands and knees. Next you saw a tall figure approaching from the darkness of the room. Once near her and his silhouette was illuminated by the light, and you recognized it was Charlie.</p><p>Your heart stopped. Your throat swelled. Your muscles tensed.</p><p>He stood next to the woman and began rolling up the sleeves of his light blue button down. He worked to secure her against the bench with the straps before bending down to grab a wooden paddle from under it.</p><p>Heat filled your face, your chest, and spread all the way down to your feet. You became the definition of rage.</p><p>Scarlett pinched her brow and leaned over to you, keeping her gaze on him. “Hey...isn’t that… Charlie? From the restaurant?”</p><p>You couldn’t peel your eyes away from him as anger continued to consume you.“Yes.” you said, much louder than you intended.</p><p>He looked over your way and squinted his eyes, paddle in one hand, while his other hand rested on the woman’s lower back. He appeared to be a state of shock, much like you. You placed your drink on the table, stood up and swallowed hard, eyes never leaving his. You were open minded but there was no fucking way you could sit back and watch him engage in this sport with another woman. The amount of jealousy running through your veins was astronomical. You needed to get the hell out of there.</p><p>You walked out of the room, leaving Scarlett behind as Charlie’s gaze followed you. You proceeded back to the main hall and felt your eyes starting to sting. Jesus, what a fucking place to have an emotional breakdown in. You felt like a fool. You tried your best to hold back your tears as you pushed your way through the crowd, the loud bass music ringing in your ears.</p><p>You finally located the hallway to the lobby and felt some kind of reprieve. The hostess gave you a somber look as you waited for the elevator doors to open. You were so angry with him and so angry with yourself.</p><p>Once the doors finally invited you inside, you entered quickly as you felt the tears starting to fall down your cheeks. You wiped them away, and your chin started to quiver. You would let yourself cry freely as soon as the doors closed, you thought to yourself.</p><p>Just then, before they shut completely, you saw a large hand stop them as they reverted to open again. Charlie stood in front of you, breathing heavy, face filled with unease. He took a long stride forward into the elevator and your breath hitched.</p><p>You were both standing face to face in total silence as the doors closed behind him. You hated that he was seeing you like this, so exposed and vulnerable.</p><p>“Why did you follow me?” You asked, voice broken from emotion.</p><p>Charlie peered down at you, chest rising and falling, jaw clenched. He took another step forward and you retreated backwards, behaving as prey under his looming presence. You hated how much you wanted him, how much you missed him. You prayed for the strength to resist but it was no use.</p><p>His lips crashed onto yours as he pushed you up against the elevator wall. He lifted you up as you wrapped your legs around his waist, pressing your back against the hard surface, his mouth hungry on yours as if he were feasting on you. His hands slid up your thighs, bunching your skirt up to your waist and you felt the cold metal wall on the skin of your ass. You felt his hard cock through his pants and you bucked your hips forward, clasping your legs tighter around his waist to feel more of him. He moaned into your mouth, pulling away momentarily to catch his breath.</p><p>“Do you feel what you do to me?” He said, breathlessly through parted lips, gazing down at your cleavage baring lace top. “...fucking gorgeous.” He buried his face in between your tits and sucked on the skin, raking his teeth across your décolletage to your neck.</p><p>The intimate moment was disrupted when the elevator doors opened again. Charlie released his grip on you, your legs coming undone from his waist as your feet found the floor.</p><p>You pushed your skirt down quickly as you were both met by Scarlett standing on the other side of the doors. She smirked at the sight before her, understanding all too well what was happening.</p><p>She stepped into the elevator, her eyes focused on you. You heard what sounded like a shallow growl come from Charlie as he stood in front of you like a barrier, not wanting to let her near you. </p><p>Scarlett took notice of Charlie’s stance and nodded as the doors closed, leaving the three of you alone in the small space.</p><p>“Found yourself a dominant, I see.” She said, not making eye contact with you. “Charlie. Nice to see you again.” she said, sarcastically.</p><p>You stepped out from behind Charlie to approach her and that’s when you felt him grab your wrist, tugging you closer to him.</p><p>“No.” He said in a low voice. “You’re coming with me.” His face was tense and serious as he kept his hold on you.</p><p>You looked up at him then over to Scarlett. “Scar.. I-“</p><p>“It’s okay, love.” She sighed, looking down before meeting your gaze. “Another time.”</p><p>The doors opened to the main lobby and Scarlett stepped out, her heels echoing against the marble floor.</p><p>Charlie kept a firm hold on you, letting the doors close. He reached over and pushed a button that took you up the 16th floor. He held you by your wrist in silence as the elevator reached its destination, doors opening to what appeared to be a long hallway of hotel rooms.</p><p>He lured you by the wrist, leading you towards a numbered door before pulling a key card out from his pocket, scanning it and pushing it open. The room was elegant and contemporary, with floor to ceiling windows peering out towards the city. A large king sized bed with white linens took up the middle of the room. The place was dark with the only light shining in from the city lights below. He released you as you walked towards the window slowly to take in the view.</p><p>Stillness and silence filled the air as you stared out the window for a peaceful moment. You turned around and he was standing only feet away, hands in his pockets, dark eyes on you as a small grin formed across his lips. The city lights behind you, bringing in a soft glow to his skin and the rest of the room.</p><p>The anger and sadness you felt from earlier started melting away as you looked at him, so perfectly posed in front of you. If it was possible to hate and love the way someone made you feel, then this was it. Charlie made you see yourself in a new light and you had become addicted to the feeling of being desired and in control. Although you hated how he was able to just drop you instantly and act like a playboy over the last few days, you still longed for him.</p><p>You missed his touch, his scent, his body.</p><p>After a few moments of silence staring at each other, you finally spoke.</p><p>“What do you want from me, Charlie?” you asked, crossing your arms and leaning into your hip.</p><p>His hungry eyes scanned you up and down, obviously smitten with your sexier than ever outfit.</p><p>“Don’t call me Charlie ever again.” He warned as he stepped forward. “Unless you want me to fuck that pretty mouth of yours.” He brought his hand up and rubbed his thumb against your bottom lip.</p><p>You swallowed and peered up into his eyes, recalling the anger you felt from before. “Your filthy cock doesn’t deserve this pretty mouth.” You spatted back.</p><p>You couldn’t believe you summoned the courage to degrade him in such a confident way.</p><p>His face twisted in anger, hand clasping around your throat, pushing you until you felt the window against your back.</p><p>“Do you think I’m disgusting?” He seethed, pinning you against the window.</p><p>“Yes.” You said, squirming under his stronghold. “I think you’re a whore... and you make me sick.”</p><p>His eyes filled with desire as he moved his free hand to unbuckle his belt. “Oh yeah?” he replied, breath heavy through his parted lips. You were quietly amused by how turned on he was as you shamed him, becoming more and more eager to fuck you as you spouted off insults.</p><p>“You don’t deserve to fuck me. You’re nothing…” You continued, as both of his hands moved your skirt up and fiercely grabbed your ass. He refrained from kissing you, keeping his mouth only centimeters away from yours so that you’d keep talking.</p><p>With one hand he grabbed his thick, hard length and slowly stroked himself while his other hand found your jaw. “You don’t want this big cock?” he asked in a whisper.</p><p>You paused, keeping your eyes painfully locked on his.</p><p>“It’s not that big.” you rebutted, and before you could even breath he had turned you around roughly and pulled your bodysuit undone, spitting in his hand before ramming himself into you fully.</p><p>You screamed at the painful sensation of skin stretching beyond normal limits. He grabbed a handful of your hair and pulled, extending your neck backwards in the process. His hot breath was in your ear. “I own this fucking pussy, do you understand?” he hissed, pounding into you with such force that you could hardly keep your balance as you pressed your palms into the window.</p><p>The only sounds that came from you were yelps and cries for more as he kept his ravenous pace on you.</p><p>“Tell me who you belong to.” he demanded, hand wrapping around to cover your exposed neck.</p><p>“You… I belong to you.” You could hardly speak but managed to get that much out between thrusts. Tears of pain and pleasure started to form in your eyes.</p><p>“Say it! Who!” he shouted. “Who fucks you this good?”</p><p>You moaned louder. “...daddy… only daddy fucks me this good…”</p><p>“That’s right. That’s fuckin’ right.” He leaned back to watch his cock thrust into your tight pussy, glistening with your juices. “...shhhhit. I’m gonna fucking lose it.” He pulled out and tugged you away from the window, tossing you onto the bed.</p><p>He yanked you by the hips to the edge of the bed, dropped to his knees and buried his face into your wet cunt. You arched your back as your eyes rolled back into your head, feeling the softness of his full lips and eager tongue swirling and sucking on your center.</p><p>“Fuck...oh my god… yes daddy...” you moaned, and he hummed in delight sending chills through your body.</p><p>He dipped two fingers inside you, keeping a pace unison with his hot mouth. He sucked on your clit, fingers buried deep into as you moaned wildly, relishing every tingle sent through your body.</p><p>He kissed his way up to your chest and neck before lifting himself and removing his shirt. He looked immaculate towering over you, smooth and rigid parts of his torso flexing together as he moved to rub his yearning, hard cock against your wet cunt. His bare chest rising and falling as he gazed down at your sex, mouth agape.</p><p>“Does Scarlett make you feel this good?” He said, rubbing the head of his dick in between your folds, teasing you, before plunging himself inside fully.</p><p>You inhaled sharply through your teeth at the familiar but still painful feeling of him stretching you open. Scarlett made you feel good, but not like this. Nothing compared to this.</p><p>“No daddy.” you answered, head tilted back as he leaned down to suck on your neck, rocking his hips into you at a gradual pace.</p><p>His hands roamed all over your body and stopped at your face. “You’re mine. You’re fucking mine.” he whispered through his heavy breaths, pushing his cock even deeper into you.</p><p>You felt your peak start to rise hearing him claim you, your walls pulsating around him as he drove deeper inside. “...yes….that’s a good girl...cum for me…” he encouraged as his pace picked up a bit.</p><p>Your legs started to tremble, you held your breath and within seconds you were there, cumming hard, your pussy throbbing around his thick cock. He groaned at the sensation before thrusting into you even faster, bringing his own orgasm to the surface.</p><p>Once your peak subsided, you pushed him off of you, directing him to lay next to you on his back. His hand pumping his cock fast, thinking you’d ride him or give him head as he came.</p><p>But you had other plans.</p><p>You stood from the bed and started to casually adjust your outfit and fix your hair.</p><p>“What the fuck…” he stuttered, fist moving faster as he jerked himself off, waiting for you.</p><p>“Dirty boys cum on themselves, not me.” You replied, leaning over his cock and spitting on it. “That’s all you deserve.”</p><p>The shame and humiliation caused him to cum harder than ever, grunting and groaning as he pumped his cock, watching his release project all over his stomach and chest.</p><p>He laid on the bed, breathless, staring at the ceiling, running his good hand through his hair and holding his swollen cock in the other. He was an amazing fuck, for sure, but you still had a bone to pick with him.</p><p>Charlie had been clear about who he was from the beginning.</p><p>Perhaps it was time you showed Charlie who you were.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Pity</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>You sat in the empty waiting room, flipping through an old copy of Vogue, waiting for the nurse to call your name. Your mind wandered back to a week ago when you saw Charlie at the club and the rollercoaster of emotions; jealousy, anger and pleasure filled moments that followed afterwards. A smirk appeared on your face, recalling how you left Charlie lying on the bed, alone, covered in his own cum as you walked out of the hotel room he lured you to and went home instead. </p><p>Home... or rather so, Jeffrey's couch. You really needed to find your own place before you outstayed your welcome. Rubbing your forehead, you considered how much your life had changed over the last two weeks. In that time you went from being in a long term relationship to fucking your director, your ex and uncovering some mighty fine kinks you apparently now have.</p><p>You had successfully avoided both Charlie and Ben during each show over the last week, making sure to arrive and leave before anyone could catch you or ask questions. It helped that neither of them tried calling or texting, which if you were being honest with yourself, only made you even more annoyed.</p><p>A soft female voice called your name, snapping you back to reality. You followed the nurse back to the exam room, placing your purse on a chair and sitting on the exam table, crossing your ankles as they dangled down.</p><p>"So, looks like you're here for a pap smear and STD panel?" The nurse asked while typing away on her laptop.</p><p>"Yep." you replied, giving her a closed grin, nodding along.</p><p>"Okay... and are you sexually active?" She asked, never taking her eyes off the laptop screen.</p><p>"Yep." you said, again, tapping your fingers nervously on your thighs.</p><p>"And what form of birth control are you currently on?" She asked, peering up over the screen this time.</p><p>"The pill.....and condoms." </p><p>Images of Charlie cumming hard inside of you flashed into your head. The handful of careless times you let him rip into you without protection all because the heat of the moment overshadowed logic and reason. You felt your stomach twist and palms become sweaty at the blatant lie you just told. You had been careful with Ben, always using condoms and taking the pill at the exact same time, everyday to avoid any unexpected surprises. Charlie was the first person that you were so irresponsible with in bed since the fling you had years ago with your biology professor. Passion was your enemy when it came to being safe. </p><p>The nurse finished her assessment and before you knew it, you were legs up, with the best of you on display as the gynecologist performed your pap smear. </p><p>Pressure, pinching, flinching, then done.</p><p>You heard the sound of latex gloves being pulled off. "Everything looks good. The results from your panel should be back within a few days." </p><p>You sat up and thanked her, feeling some kind of relief that everything "looked good" in her opinion. A part of you worried that you caught something from Charlie given his loose history with women but you were also being loose yourself, having slept with Scarlett and Charlie within a day of each other. It ain't easy being a pimp.</p><p>You met up with a landlord later that day to check out a small studio in a quiet, lowkey neighborhood that was in your price range. The place smelled old and musky but it had a lot of charm. It was one room, wooden floors, with a small kitchen. The only catch was that each floor shared a communal bathroom. But you were fine with it since it reminded you of your college dormitory years. Not that you even had a choice, this was the fifth place you had looked at in the past week that came even close to your budget. </p><p>The landlord was eager to get someone in and paying rent right away so you were able to fill out the paperwork, sign the lease and get the keys immediately. Once alone in the apartment, you sat on the creaky wooden floor in the middle of the room, looking around and feeling a sense of accomplishment. This was your first official 'single gal' apartment and although it wasn't much, it was all yours.</p><p>Two hours later you had Scarlett's legs wrapped over your shoulders, licking and sucking as she moaned uncontrollably. You plunged your fingers inside, feeling her soft, tight walls throb around your fingers as you moved continuously on her clit, rubbing your tongue against it in tandem with your hand. Her body began quaking as her orgasm overcame her, screaming obscenities into the otherwise quiet room. </p><p>You inhaled deeply, trying to catch your breath as you rose up to join her on the bed. </p><p>"Jesus... when you asked to come over for coffee, I didn't expect that..." Scarlett said, breathless and smiling.</p><p>You turned to look at her. "I needed to celebrate. I'm an independent woman now." You smiled back, then realized you hadn't apologized for what had happened a week ago at the club.</p><p>"Listen, Scar... I'm sorry about Charlie. I don't know what I was thinking... getting so wrapped up with him." She looked over at you as you rested on your back gazing up. "He just...draws me in like a magnet and before I can even help it, I'm doing things I've never done." You exhaled in defeat.</p><p>"Yeah, I know what you mean. I had a dominant, not so long ago. Same thing..." She turned on her side to face you, stroking your hair. "It's almost like a drug... you become addicted to how they treat you. Fulfilling all of your childhood traumas with rough sex, dirty talk and aftercare. It's the aftercare that does it for me. Always keeps me wanting more." She leaned over to kiss your shoulder.</p><p>You considered her words for a moment in silence.</p><p>"Do you think there's love there?" you asked, wondering what her opinion would be.</p><p>She shrugged. "I think a lot of dominants are capable of love. But do they allow themselves to feel it? Not in my experience." she said, shaking her head. "Most of them don't think they deserve it." </p><p>Your heart sank, speculating if Charlie felt that he didn't deserve love. You remembered when you asked him for his safe word and he didn't want one. You began to question if there was more to that reason other than sex. You were sure he had emotional baggage left over from his divorce but since he was so private, he never shared any of those details with you. </p><p>Things you knew for sure: he loved being degraded in bed, he loved when you took control, and slowly but surely he was letting you do it more and more. But at the same time, he also began retreating backwards.</p><p>It was in that moment you realized you were breaking down his barriers and he was afraid of what you were uncovering. He was seeking out other women to feel in control again because YOU were making him lose control. </p><p>The anger you felt for Charlie began to transform into something else. </p><p>Pity.</p><p>You arrived at the theatre that evening a little earlier this time so you could tell Ben that you'd be stopping by tomorrow to officially move out. Confronting him before you went on stage was never a great idea, but you wanted to get it over with so you could get the hell out of there once the show was over. </p><p>"Son of a bitch...." Ben said to himself, hanging up his phone as you approached him.</p><p>"What's wrong?" You asked, hoping he would just dismiss it so you could tell him your news and get on with your business.</p><p>"Sam isn't coming tonight. Something about his apartment got broken into and the cops are there..." He continued, looking down at his phone, anxiously scrolling through other texts. </p><p>Ben peeked up and saw Charlie approaching the green room, and he walked past you, stopping him abruptly. "Hey, Charlie. We have a problem. Sam isn't here and his stand in has the flu. So... we don't have a replacement."  </p><p>Charlie sighed heavily, placing his hands on his hips. "Have you checked with the rest of the cast, their backups, anyone who knows the lines to get us through for tonight?" </p><p>Ben shrugged, running his hand through his hair. "I mean, no one who knows the lines well enough." He swallowed. "I suppose I could give it a shot but I'm no actor." Ben suggested, with a small chuckle.</p><p>Charlie's jaw tensed, knowing that there would be intimate scenes with you that he would have to watch if he let Ben stand in. Charlie looked over at you, taking into consideration his bleak options. </p><p>He glanced back at Ben. "Send hair and makeup over to me." </p><p>Ben's brow furrowed. "Uhh...you? You're gonna do it?" he asked, in almost a smug tone. </p><p>"You have a better idea?" Charlie challenged him. "I know the lines, word for word." he gazed over to you again, crossing his arms. "I'll figure out the rest."</p><p>Charlie's stage presence was captivating. He effortlessly worked through his lines as Dr. Pomatter, displaying all the right emotions and humor throughout his first scenes with you. He played opposite to your pregnant character as your doctor, helping you through your first, albeit unwanted, pregnancy and later becoming a secret love interest.</p><p>How appropriate.</p><p>The audience was loving his timing and quick reactions. You both worked so well together on stage, the chemistry was remarkable considering you had never even rehearsed together. It was funny to you that the last time you even spoke to him was in the hotel room a week ago when you spit on his cock after telling him he was "nothing".  And now here you both were, reading lines to each other as if nothing had happened.</p><p>You began to feel butterflies in your stomach knowing that your first kiss would be in the next act. You wondered if Charlie felt the same way. </p><p>You entered the scene with Charlie sitting at his desk. Your character, Jenna, had been called into his office to discuss whether 'spotting' during pregnancy was normal. Needless to say, something that could have been easily discussed over the phone, was Dr. Pomatter's excuse to see you. </p><p>JENNA</p><p>And what time does this office</p><p>normally open, Doctor, 8:30?</p><p>DR. POMATTER  </p><p>9:00.</p><p>JENNA  </p><p>9:00?</p><p>So-So you came in here two hours</p><p>early just to tell me</p><p>that spotting is a perfectly</p><p>normal symptom?</p><p> DR. POMATTER   </p><p>Well, it would seem that way, yes.</p><p>JENNA   </p><p>Good-bye, Dr. Pomatter.</p><p> DR. POMATTER   </p><p>Good-bye, Jenna.</p><p>JENNA </p><p>I think you're strange.</p><p>I'm not sure I want you</p><p>to be my doctor anymore.</p><p>You make me uncomfortable.</p><p> DR. POMATTER </p><p>I'm sorry, Jenna.</p><p>I'm really sorry.</p><p>Whatever it is I do,</p><p>I will not do it anymore.</p><p>You should not be uncomfortable</p><p>at this time.</p><p>  JENNA </p><p>- You're doing it again.</p><p> DR. POMATTER </p><p>- How? What did I?</p><p> JENNA  </p><p>I don't know, you know,</p><p>that nice-guy-talky thing you do.</p><p>  You just... Oh, forget it.</p><p>*Jenna storms out of the office but realizes she forgot her purse*</p><p>JENNA  </p><p>Damn! My purse!</p><p>DR. POMATTER </p><p>You forgot your pur...</p><p>*Jenna wraps her arms around Dr. Pomatter for a deep kiss.*</p><p>Charlie's kiss on you was much more intense than necessary. You practically had to hold onto him for balance otherwise you would have fallen over. There was whistling coming from the audience but all you could hear was the beating of your own heart through your ears. </p><p>He pulled away gently, still holding you close as his lips hovered against yours. This was not in the script. You were supposed to pull away, both of you trying to rationalize the unexpected behavior for a moment before giving in and kissing again. </p><p>But all of that went out the window.</p><p>He just held you in silence, eyes deeply locked onto yours as he brought you in for another hungry kiss.</p><p>Some audience members began clapping and cheering, chalking it up to great acting, unknowing that he was going totally rogue. Everything about this felt like your first real kiss with him, two weeks ago, as rain poured down on you both in the darkness of the street corner.</p><p>The stage lights dimmed to close out the scene for intermission and Charlie slowly pulled away, releasing his hold on you in the process. </p><p>He said nothing. </p><p>You said nothing. </p><p>He turned to walk away, leaving you in a frozen state of shock on the now pitch black stage.</p><p>You heard Ben sounding irritated while talking to Charlie in the green room so you avoided it and instead took a moment for yourself in the restroom. You closed and locked the stall door as you sat on the toilet, leaning over and covering your face with your hands.</p><p>You didn't need to cry, per se. You just needed silence. A minute to collect your thoughts and, let's face it, control your hormones. Everything Charlie did turned you on, even when you wanted to slap him. </p><p>You heard two female voices echoing as they came into the restroom, stopping at the vanity to freshen up. You recognized one voice very well; Gabrielle. You rolled your eyes as you quietly stayed seated, head in hands, waiting for them to leave so you could have some peace.</p><p>"I don't know... I think Ben is cuter."</p><p>"Are you serious?! Ben is not cuter. I mean...Ben is cute, sure. But Charlie is hot."</p><p>You perked up when you heard the names being mentioned. They clearly didn't know you were in the stall, hearing everything. </p><p>"So where do you think they fucked?"</p><p>"Well... I heard that they fucked on the stage."</p><p>"Oh my god...."</p><p>"I also heard from my friend David that he makes her call him...daddy."</p><p>"Shut up... that's amazing."</p><p>You felt sick to your stomach. You reached behind you and flushed the toilet to stop them from talking. Muffled whispers and foot steps shuffling out of the bathroom followed as you held your head in your hands and sighed. You wondered if the "David" they were referring to was Jeffrey's David.</p><p>You realized it wasn't the gossiping that was making you sick... no... it was something else.</p><p>You stood up quickly and turned around, leaning over to empty out whatever anxiety was churning in your stomach. Once you felt like it was over, you flushed the toilet again, standing tall with a large exhale. Clearly, the stress of the night had gotten to you.</p><p>You freshened back up in the dressing room, swishing some mouthwash before finishing the last half of the play, praying that all the awkward moments were over. And thankfully they were, for the most part. </p><p>After the curtain call, you collected your things and remembered that you still needed to talk to Ben about moving out. You sighed to yourself as you walked down the hallway, looking in each room to find him. You reached a dressing door that was slightly ajar and you pushed it open to peek in while knocking. </p><p>The silhouette was unmistakable. He stood shirtless, wearing only his dark slacks, resting undone on his hips as he was changing back into his street clothes. Your eyes were drawn directly to his broad chest and solid torso. </p><p>"Oh, Charlie. I'm sorry..." You said, hesitating to give him privacy. A part of you wanted to just watch him privately, soaking in the view of him just like you did when you caught him in the mirror the first night he fucked you, but you weren't in the right mindset to talk. You were on a mission to find Ben and get this crazy day over with. </p><p>He looked up when you spoke, completely unbothered as if he expected you to walk in on him changing. Standing in the middle of the room silent, he stared at you with his shirt in his hand. He looked almost sad, you thought.</p><p>You realized maybe he needed privacy for reasons other than changing clothes, so you quietly retreated back out of the doorway. </p><p>"Don't..." </p><p>His voice was soft and deep with a slight tone of desperation. You advanced back into the room, holding the door open.</p><p>"Don't...what?" you asked, meeting his gaze.</p><p>He took two steps forward and you could see redness in his bloodshot eyes. </p><p>"Don't leave."</p><p>Confusion and intrigue compelled you to step all the way into the room and close the door behind you. You wondered what had been going on in Charlie's life over the past week as he refrained from trying to contact you. Maybe you went too far the last time you had sex. Maybe he was pissed at you. </p><p>"Is everything alright?" you asked, crossing your arms to comfort your nerves.</p><p>Charlie's face became stern and tense as he advanced onto you. You stepped backwards, running into the closed door. He stood only inches away from you, his hot breath pouring out of his mouth as he cupped your throat in his hand.</p><p>"I hate you." His voice rang low and vibrated through your body. You swallowed thickly, looking up at his glooming frame. Although he wasn't squeezing your throat, you could see the sadness turned to fury in his eyes and knew he wanted to strangle you.</p><p>Apprehension kept you from saying anything for fear of triggering something darker from him. He hated you? You weren't sure where this sudden shift in emotion came from but you didn't like it. He had no right to hate you... you didn't do anything wrong. If he was mad about how you treated him at the hotel, then that was his own fault for not giving you a safe word. You began to feel your own anger form in your chest and belly, rising up to your face.</p><p>"Well that's a shame." you seethed back at him. "I pegged you as someone stronger than that."</p><p>Once again, your smart mouth was pushing his limits. His hand tightened around your neck, restricting airflow as he glared into your eyes. He pushed you down to the floor by your neck so that you were on your knees, pinned between him and the door. He was bent over as you peered up to him, face becoming flushed from lack of oxygen. </p><p>"You fucking apologize to me." He hissed through his teeth. You felt pain behind your eyes and you grabbed at the hand choking you. He slightly eased his grip enough for you to catch your breath. "Say it."</p><p>Even though you were pissed beyond belief, a part of you still wanted to succumb to him, obey him and make him feel good. Whatever chaos was going on in his head, you found empathy for it. You remembered how you concluded that his dominate behavior was a byproduct of feeling unworthy in some way. </p><p>He didn't hate you. He hated how you made him feel; Worthy.</p><p>"I'm sorry, daddy." you said, softly, gazing up into his strained, red face. Your words caused his anger to subside a bit as he leaned back up, releasing your neck and unzipping his already unbuttoned pants. You licked your lips, anticipating what he needed from you. </p><p>He freed his enlarged cock, holding it in front of you. "Show me how sorry you are. Prove it to daddy."</p><p>Without any hesitation you grabbed his cock as he released it, moving his hand to run his fingers through your hair as you wrapped your hot mouth around him. He drew in a long and deep inhale through his nose as he closed his eyes, snaking his fingers to the crown of your head and gripping your hair in his fist. You loved the pulling sensation against your scalp, causing you to moan on his dick. </p><p>He growled, feeling the vibrations of your vocal chords send shockwaves through his spine. He began thrusting his hips forward in rhythm with your strokes for deeper impact. He pressed his other hand up against the closed door as he proceeded to fuck your face, looking down at you taking in his cock so well. </p><p>His breath became heavy, lips parted as he watched you desperately suck his dick. "Fuck yes."</p><p>You felt his cock twitch every time you ran your lips over the head, teasing his nerve ending. He moaned in delight when you relaxed your jaw, taking him in as deep as possible. </p><p>You barely heard the knock on the door as you sucked and slurped away, not paying mind to anything else in the world but getting him off. Charlie ignored the knock, too, at first but once the second one happened, he pounded his fist on the door. </p><p>"I'm fucking busy!" </p><p>Whomever it was decided that it could wait after hearing Charlie yell at them. He continued watching you, driving his cock in and out of your mouth intensely as his orgasm started to build. You pressed yourself up against the door and relaxed your jaw enough so that he could go at his own pace to get himself off, basically using you as a fuck doll. </p><p>He loved the invitation and eventually he was hitting the back of your throat causing gagging noises to escape you. That turned him on even more, causing him to cum much faster than he expected. You felt the warmness in your mouth as you swallowed his seed down from his pulsating cock. </p><p>He paused a moment as you licked his length slowly before finishing.</p><p>Charlie was completely winded as he pulled away from you, panting for air. You pulled yourself up from the floor, knees feeling weak from pressing them into the hard surface below.</p><p>The silence in the room was deafening. He reached for his shirt, finally putting it on as he adjusted his pants, fully dressing himself. You stood against the door not knowing what to do or say next.</p><p>"You can go now." Charlie barely glanced your way as he was putting his watch back on. </p><p>Pain and rejection shot through your chest. You were speechless at how cold he was to you.</p><p>You scoffed, shaking your head at him while turning to open the door. "You're fucking welcome." You said, walking out of the room.</p><p>You bit back a sob as you marched down the hall, with no particular place to go. As you made your way around the corner, you collided with Ben. Your breath hitched in surprise and he apologized immediately then saw the look on your face. </p><p>"Hey, you okay?" he asked with concern.</p><p>You felt the tears behind your eyes and swallowed. "Fine. I'm fine."</p><p>He sighed, crossing his arms. "I know tonight was stressful with Sam being out. I'm sorry if things got weird with Charlie. I tried to talk to him after.."</p><p>You waved your hand at Ben, dismissing it. "It's fine. Really. I just need to get home and rest."</p><p>Ben cocked his head. "Home? Like Jeffrey's or ... our place?"</p><p>Fuck. You forgot you still needed to have this conversation with him. Ugghhhh...</p><p>You took a deep breath and tried to push everything that just happened with Charlie to the side for a minute.</p><p>"No... I actually found a place and signed the lease earlier today. So, I'll be stopping by tomorrow to grab my things."</p><p>A look of remorse painted over Ben's face as he softly said your name.</p><p>"Well... Okay. I mean, I guess I saw this coming..." he smirked. "I was hoping we could work something out but if you need your own space, then I respect that." He said, nodding while looking at the floor.</p><p>"Yeah, I think it's best for the both of us." </p><p>There was a brief pause as you both stood in face to face.</p><p>"Um, well just let me know what time, because I don't want to be there. I don't think I can watch you move out, so..." Ben said, eyes starting to glass over.</p><p>"Okay, that's fair. I'll text you tomorrow."</p><p>You spent your first night in your new place sleeping on the hard wooden floor that night with only a sleeping bag and pillow. It was the worst and most uncomfortable night you've ever experienced, but it wasn't from the pain of the hard floor pressing into your body. It was Charlie. You couldn't stop replaying what happened that night from his unscripted actions during the play to the blowjob he practically demanded after telling you that he hated you. </p><p>Something was different, something had changed. You weren't sure what caused it but for some reason or another, you wanted to fix it. You had to fix it. Because no matter how much he pushed you away, or made you angry... you needed him.</p>
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<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Eye for an Eye</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>One week ago...</p><p>Charlie laid on the bed, still trying to catch his breath as he heard you walk out of the room and let the door slam shut. You left him, used and abused, on the hotel bed without even a second thought. </p><p>Pain, both mental and emotional, lingered in Charlie’s veins. He knew how important aftercare was in this dark world and how damaging it can be when left to fall by the wayside, especially after you tell someone they are “nothing”. </p><p>He stared at the ceiling, chest rising and falling as he started to find his breath again. The pain of rejection was soon replaced with pure anger as he lifted himself off the bed, shamefully cupping his hands close to his torso trying to keep his cum from dripping all over the bed and floor. </p><p>Once in the bathroom, he cleaned himself off alone and without anyone giving him praise or tenderness. He washed his hands and gazed at his own reflection in the mirror. His eyes began to mist over as he clenched his jaw to hold back the tears. He quickly looked away, hating how emotional he was becoming. He turned around and twisted the shower faucet on. He fully undressed himself and stepped into the steaming, hot shower. </p><p>He let the water pour over his broad shoulders and back, taking his time to let it comfort him while dipping his head back to cover his hair. He turned slowly to face the stream, running his hands through his hair, still feeling tightness in his chest from frustration. He paused with his head hanging low as the hot water cascaded over the nap of his neck, trickling down the rest of his body. He stayed there for several moments when a sob finally escaped him. </p><p>Charlie realized that he showed you this world without really giving you any guidance on how to be a true dominant. He had only been focused on the submissive part, not giving any thought that the tables would turn and he would become the submissive. It all happened so fast, and he had never experienced it from the other side before. Although he did enjoy the act of being a submissive, he learned that he needed boundaries and most importantly required the aftercare. </p><p>Maybe he did need a safe word after all, he thought.</p><p>It became apparent that he would have to talk to you about it if he was going to continue seeing you in this manner. He’d have to lay his pride down on the table and somehow share his true feelings with you; something he hadn’t done since his marriage. He cringed at the thought.<br/>He’d have to be vulnerable, he’d have to be honest, he’d have to open up...</p><p>Or…</p><p>He could just show you how it felt. </p><p> </p><p>____________________________________________________________________________</p><p> </p><p>You didn’t get one ounce of sleep on the hard floor of your apartment. Between how you left things with Charlie after the play and the stress of having to stop by your shared apartment with Ben to retrieve your belongings, a restful mind had abandoned you.</p><p>You sat up, pulling your knees into your chest and hugging them as you glanced around the small room. Sadness and rejection was still swimming in your heart and it made you feel less than worthy. Why did he treat you like that? Why did he say that he hated you? And why did you still long for him when he was being such a dick?</p><p>You considered that you stumbled head first into the most toxic relationship you’d ever been in. </p><p>He hated you??</p><p>You obsessed over those words in your head, wondering why he would say it. You must have done something that pissed him off. </p><p>Thinking back to the hotel room, you only did what you knew he wanted… degrading him only made him want you more. So that couldn’t be why. Was he upset that you didn’t sleep over afterwards? That shouldn’t constitute him hating you. </p><p>You groaned in irritation, lifting yourself up off the floor and getting ready for the day. You texted Ben that you’d be stopping by in about an hour, giving him time to leave the apartment per his request. You were thankful for that, because you really didn’t want him pouting the whole time as you tried to focus on grabbing what was yours. Unlike last time, when you threw literally anything into a bag, forgetting essentials like… tampons.</p><p>Speaking of, you were due to start soon.</p><p>You stopped at a nearby coffee shop on your way to the subway, putting earbuds in as you distracted yourself with your phone during the commute to Ben’s. Walking up the stairwell to the door, a piece of your heart started to break. Remembering the first day you and Ben moved in together and how happy you were a year ago. The distance that grew between you two didn’t happen overnight, it happened gradually, day by day for 365 days. </p><p>You reached the front door, pulling your key out to unlock it and step into the quiet living room. The air felt cold and mournful, smelling slightly like Ben’s cologne. The same cologne you bought him for Christmas last year. You walked through the empty apartment, taking note that Ben had cleaned the place up a bit. You were sure he was living in filth for the past two weeks since you left. </p><p>Grabbing your empty luggage from the bedroom closet, you began filling the bags with clothes and other miscellaneous items. There was a picture of you Ben from college sitting on the dresser. You picked up the frame, not even recognizing your smiling self in the photo. It was ironic given that during the time when the photo was being taken, you thought you knew exactly who you were. </p><p>Maybe we never really know who we truly are. </p><p>A frown drew across your face realizing that you still hadn’t fully processed what Ben had done to you. His actions drove you straight into Charlie’s bed, where you now had a whole new set of issues. You put the picture back down with a sigh and went through your nightstand, grabbing a few things when you noticed an empty condom wrapper on the floor next to your side of the bed. You groaned in annoyance, rolling your eyes at the obvious attempt to make you jealous. It didn’t matter in the grand scheme of things as you were fucking two new people now (debby ryan face) but you couldn’t help the feeling of resentment in your belly. He cleaned the whole house but left that behind. Fucking figures.</p><p>A knock on the front door caught your attention next. The pit in your stomach grew, hoping it wasn’t Ben or even worse, Ben’s new fuck buddy. You just wanted a few hours to yourself to move out without any drama. Was that so much to ask?</p><p>You leaned over to glance through the peephole in the door and the ability to breath completely escaped you.</p><p> </p><p>It was Charlie.</p><p> </p><p>You backed away from the door, hesitating a moment, trying to figure how he even knew where to find you. Slowly, you unlocked the door, twisting the knob and pulling it open. His gaze moved from the floor to you.</p><p>“Hey.” he said, casually, as if he was invited over.</p><p>You pinched your brow together. “Um. Hi.” </p><p>He pressed his lips together nervously then gave you a half grin. “Can we talk?”</p><p>The look of confusion never left your face as you shrugged slightly. “I guess...uhh.. Come in.” you stepped aside, holding the door open as he proceeded in. “How did you know where ..” you started to ask but he interrupted you, expecting the question and being fully ready to answer.</p><p>“Your friend Jeffrey. I went there first and he told me where you were.”</p><p>You shut the door recalling that you had texted Jeffrey’s address to Charlie the night he demanded you come over. You smiled to yourself knowing that it most likely made Jeffrey’s whole day seeing ‘daddy’ Charlie at his doorstep. </p><p>He stood tall in the living room, hands in his pockets as he scoped the place out, nodding to himself. “Where’s Ben?” he asked, eyes busy looking at miscellaneous art work on the walls.</p><p>“He didn’t want to be here for this. Which I agreed with.” You crossed your arms, feeling incredibly uncomfortable with Charlie standing in the apartment you had shared with Ben. “Um, I don’t know what he has in the fridge, but if you’d like something to drink, I’m sure there’s beer or water.” you offered, trying to keep things casual.</p><p>“Steal his girl and his beer?” he said, smirking in a smug manner. “Why not.”</p><p>You felt butterflies in your tummy at the comment. You gave him a half smile as you walked into the kitchen, opening the fridge and finding some local IPA. You handed the bottle to him as he removed his jacket, laying it carefully across the arm of the sofa. </p><p>“Thanks.” He said, taking a seat and lifting the bottle up to his lips. He swallowed and leaned back on the sofa as you stood across the coffee table from him. He looked much more relaxed in the apartment than you had in weeks. </p><p>“So you wanted to talk?” You said, trying to interrupt the awkwardness, get to the point and understand why the hell this man, who told you he hated you just yesterday, was now behaving like an old friend who stopped by for a beer and a chat.</p><p>An almost mischievous smile painted across his face as he gazed up at your from the sofa. </p><p>“I love how forward you are with me.” he said, watching how you stood your ground in front of him. </p><p>You rolled your eyes at him. “Oh really. I thought you hated me?” you said, raising your brow at him in defiance.</p><p>He cocked his head to the side, changing his expression to appear more serious and narrowing his eyes at you. “And how did that make you feel?” his voice was deep and low.</p><p>You shifted your stance, not liking the question, gaze moving to the side as you clenched your jaw. “How do you think it felt, Charlie?”</p><p>He gave you a warning look when you called him by his name. He swallowed and nodded, moving to lean forward and resting his forearms on his knees. “I apologize for that. But I had to show you.”</p><p>You snapped your head back to him. “Show me what?” you snarked back. “How to be an irredeemable asshole for no reason?”</p><p>He stood up abruptly. “It wasn’t for the fuck of it!” he shouted, raising his voice and gesturing with his hands. “I did it because you did it to me. I did it to show you what it feels like to be left to heal on your own.” he explained. </p><p>You took a step back, remembering how you left Charlie in the hotel room. In the moment of it all, you thought it was a badass move. You felt powerful, saying and doing whatever you wanted to him, and then walking away. But you didn’t consider how it must have felt to be left alone afterwards. Being told how distugusing you were, how filthy you were, how you were nothing. That’s why he was so angry and why he forced you to your knees for an apology last night.</p><p>You took a deep breath and looked at the floor, feeling a bit shameful about it all. “Why didn’t you just talk to me about it?” You peeked up at him, head still tilted down. “What you did hurt my feelings.” </p><p>He walked over to you and cupped your face, angling your chin up to meet his gaze. “Because. If it hurts, then you’ll remember.”</p><p>You stared at each other for a second as his thumb grazed your cheek. This was one hell of a lesson, but you finally understood. You understood why he did it because you would’ve done the same thing to him. An eye for an eye. Fuck talking if you can give someone a taste of their medicine. You realized how similar you both were in that moment of silence. </p><p>Charlie’s lips crashed down onto you in a passionate kiss as you wrapped your arms around his neck. Your lips moved wildly over each other, teeth clashing from the intensity. Charlie held you close to him as he moved backwards towards the sofa, moving quickly to unbuckle his belt. You pulled away from his mouth long enough to remove your top before kissing him again. He unzipped his pants as you did the same to yourself. </p><p>It wasn’t until you were down to your bra and underwear before you remembered this wasn’t even your apartment anymore. You were about to fuck Charlie on Ben’s couch. The thought of it made you wet with desire. It was such a bad girl move, something so out of character from your old self. </p><p>Charlie sat on the couch with knees apart, pants at his ankles, swollen cock in his hand and eyes watching you move in front of him. He leaned over and pulled a condom out of his pocket, tearing the wrapper open with his teeth.</p><p>You slipped your panties down and stepped out of them as he watched intently stroking himself slowly, lowering the condom down his thick shaft. </p><p>“Have you fucked Ben on this couch?” Charlie asked in a dominating tone, holding his dick upright as you moved closer to him.</p><p>“Yes.” you replied. Not that it was anything notable. You had both been drunk and you didn’t even cum.</p><p>Charlie bit his bottom lip and growled at your answer. He spit on his hand and stroked himself, wetting his length for you. “Of course you fucking did, you eager bitch.”</p><p>You straddled him and lowered yourself down, watching his face as he paid full attention to how well you took his cock. He inhaled sharply through his teeth when you took all of him inside of you.</p><p>“God, you’re so fucking tight.” he said through a deep exhale, throwing his head back and closing his eyes. You moved up and down on his dick at your own steady pace. It had been a week since you felt Charlie inside of your aching pussy. There was no other feeling like it. He reached places no else ever could. </p><p>You moaned, caressing your own tits and body as you rode him. He opened his eyes to watch the show you were putting on, gliding his hands up your thighs to your waist, guiding you up and down on his cock.</p><p>“Jesus. Fucking beautiful…” he said under his heavy breath. “You fuck Scarlett like this?”<br/>He wanted to play the jealousy game, so you happily obliged.</p><p>“Yes… and she loves it.” you said between moans.</p><p>His hands seized your waist, fingers digging into your skin. “Does she fuck you better than me?”, he asked desperately through gritted teeth.</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>It was a lie. But you knew he wanted to hear it. </p><p>He growled again, tensing his body and thrusting upwards into you. “...fucking bitch.” he seethed, keeping a rough pace on you. Your moans became louder and more frequent when you felt him hit your cervix.</p><p>“Fuck! You’re so deep.” you said, grabbing your bouncing tits.</p><p>His hands moved from your waist, clutching the sides of your face and pulling you towards him, pressing his forehead into yours. </p><p>“No one fucks you this deep.”</p><p>He wrapped his arm around your waist, lifting up to move you both to the missionary position on the couch. He removed his shirt before plunging back into you, harder and deeper now that he could apply his whole weight on you. Pain shot through you and it caused you to yelped and push back against him. He didn’t let up or slow down. “God..dammit… you’re too fucking deep, Charlie…”</p><p>He grasped your neck with his hand. “The fuck you just call me?” he spat at you.</p><p>Your moans were erratic, trying to squirm under him so that the pain would subside. “Daddy! Please….”</p><p>He released your neck, feeling satisfied with your answer and pulling back, rubbing the head of dick against your wet folds to give you a break. You took a few breaths to compose yourself. </p><p>“You gonna be a good girl for daddy now?” he asked, mouth agape as he reveled in how wet you were for him.</p><p>You felt your second wind come back and wanted to see how jealous you could make him.</p><p>“Only if daddy fucks me as good as Ben did on this couch.”</p><p>Apparently you had a death wish.</p><p>You had never seen someone go from zero to hundred faster in your life. He slammed his hips into you, face twisted with anger giving you a look that could kill. He grabbed your jaw with his hand, smacking your face quickly before gripping it again. </p><p>“You’re gonna take this huge cock like the fucking whore you are.” He threatened, ramming himself in even deeper this time. The pain was sharp every time he pounded into you. You tried your best to relax your muscles but the pressure of his full weight on your body was enough to take your breath away. </p><p>Once the pain finally shifted to pleasure, you began bucking your hips forward and groaning for him to pick up the pace.</p><p>“Mmm...more, daddy…”</p><p>Charlie was panting now, sweating dripping from his forehead and nose onto your chest as he moved to his knees, bringing your legs up vertically, hugging them close to his chest. He used the position as leverage to snap his hips even faster into you. </p><p>You pressed your hands into the arm rest above your head to keep yourself firm against him. Warm tingles spread from your core to your spine and you could tell you were close. Charlie was grunting and groaning more and more, a clear indication he was also close to the brink.</p><p>His grip around your legs intensified as your walls began to contract.</p><p>“That’s it, cum on my cock…” he ordered, through gritted teeth.</p><p>His words were enough to bring you to the edge, letting the ecstasy wash over you letting your entire body quake. </p><p>“Fuck yes… I can feel it…” he said, pumping into you, bringing himself closer as he watched you unravel. </p><p>He thrusted forward forcefully with a deep grunt, exhaling loudly as he came hard. His face red and dripping with sweat, he pumped in and out irregularly as he rode out his peak. </p><p>Gasping for breath, you both took a moment to let yourselves feel the aftermath of your orgasms. Charlie pulled out and removed the condom, forgetting he wasn’t in a familiar place.</p><p>“Where should I put this?” he asked, breathlessly, looking around. </p><p>You reached over and took it from him, dropping it to the floor next to the golden wrapper. </p><p>“Right there is good.” </p><p>An eye for an eye.</p><p> </p><p>Charlie helped you load your full luggage bags into a taxi and accompanied you to your new apartment. You stood in the middle of the empty room and did a little twirl of victory, showing off your modest place to him. He smiled at your childlike excitement as you skipped over to show him the tiny kitchen area. Everything was visible from his stance, but you still gave him a tour. </p><p>“Very nice. Is there an upstairs?” he asked, in jest.</p><p>“Aha, yes, actually! But I don’t live there.” you joked back as you shared a laugh. You shrugged, “I know it’s not much.”</p><p>He stepped closer to you, placing his hands on your shoulders. “I shared a one bedroom apartment with two theater friends when I first moved to the city. This is great. Be proud of it.”<br/>He reassured you with prideful eyes.</p><p>He glanced around again at the vacant space. “Do you have a bed being delivered soon?”</p><p>You didn’t have the means to buy a bed just yet, with temporary plans of an air mattress that you’d pick up from Bed, Bath and Beyond later that day. Charlie looked anything but amused at that idea.</p><p>“No. Absolutely not. I’ll take you to get a proper bed today.” He said, shaking his head.</p><p>You scoffed. “It’s no big deal. I don’t need you to buy me a bed. I can take care of it.”</p><p>His dark eyes fell back to you. “I won’t allow my lead actress to sleep on a fucking air mattress. I need you to be well rested.” his jaw tensed. “This isn’t a debate.”</p><p>You pressed your lips tightly together so that you wouldn’t spout off any more arguments as he clearly wasn’t having it.</p><p>“Fine.”</p><p>He nodded at your agreement. “Good girl. Let’s go.”</p>
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<a name="section0012"><h2>12. King.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A/N: First thing you should know: I created a Spotify playlist for this fic and the link is available on the message board. Second thing: there’s a new kink I’m introducing in this chapter. Is it hot? Yes. Will you be traumatized? Perhaps. No disclaimers though because I think it’s important to understand how a real dominant should behave with this kink.</p><p>Don’t be afraid, daddy Charlie’s been training for this. Just hold my damn hand, and let it happen, okay? Lights, camera...ACTION...</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Jeffrey sat across the table from you looking over his menu as you did the same. It had been a couple of days since you moved into your own place so you wanted to take him out for a nice lunch to thank him for the generosity of letting you crash on his couch for much longer than you intended.</p><p>“Hmmm… shall I get the steak… or the lobster?” he scanned the menu like the diva he was. “Ah… surf and turf. Perfect.” he said, looking up at you and cocking his brow mischievously.</p><p>You shrugged in agreement. “Like I said, whatever you want...you greedy little bitch.” you both chuckled and placed your orders with the waiter.</p><p>“So...are you getting settled in the new palace?” he asked, sipping on his water.</p><p>“Yeah, I mean, it’s still pretty empty. I have a new bed being delivered later today, though.” you said, taking a sip of your water and chewing on the straw. Charlie had insisted you sleep at his place until the bed arrived.</p><p>“Well aren’t you fancy! Are you in, like, so much credit card debit now?” He asked, gaze moving to people-watch out the window.</p><p>“Ummm... Charlie actually bought it.” You said, feeling a bit shameful. “But I’m going to pay him back as soon as I can. One hundred percent.” you quickly added.</p><p>Jeffrey’s eyes snapped back to you, looking surprised. “Charlie bought you a bed? You guys went furniture shopping together??” He leaned back in his chair, giving you a puzzled look. “When’s the wedding?”</p><p>“It’s not a big deal, don’t make it into one.” you held up your hand to stop him. “It’s just a loan.”</p><p>He nodded. “Sure. Yeah… sounds good.” He paused briefly then continued. “So are you allowed to fuck other people on Charlie’s new bed or…? How does that work?” he asked, sarcastically.</p><p>You rolled your eyes at him. “OH MY GOD. It’s not his bed… it’s my bed.” Your heart rate started to pick up feeling overly defensive of your actions. “He can’t tell me what to do, or not do, in it…”</p><p>“Mmk.” Jeffrey replied, clearly seeing how you were getting worked up so he changed the subject. “I have to say, when I opened my front door and saw him standing in front of me all… tall and dark…”, his eyes rolled to the back of head. “... I practically came right then and there.” he laughed.</p><p>You smirked, feeling your blood pressure lower back down to normal. Charlie was a sight to behold, especially if you weren’t expecting him. You remembered walking in on him in the dressing room and how it made your stomach flip seeing him standing there, half naked. Of course, you’d seen plenty of him before that night but there was something about Charlie, something so striking that would stop your heart every time you laid eyes on him.</p><p>Your mind wandered to other moments of that crazy night.</p><p>“Hey, did you tell David about Charlie and I?” you asked, recalling how one of your castmates heard from someone named ‘David’ that you call Charlie “daddy”.</p><p>Jeffrey narrowed his eyes. “Well, yeah. We do live together and tell each other most things. But I told him not to tell anyone.” he cocked his head to the side. “Why?”</p><p>You shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. Some of my castmates found out. I’m the local tramp now.” you took a big gulp of water. “It’s fine. I just hope Charlie doesn’t get upset.”</p><p>A devilish grin appeared on Jeffrey’s face. “Oh? Is daddy gonna punish you?”</p><p>You kicked him from under the table and he winced.</p><p>“Maybe I’ll just send him your way? You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” You bit your bottom lip and grinned.</p><p>“Bitch, please. I would rock his world so good, you would never see him again.”</p><p>____________________________________________________________________________</p><p>You waited in your apartment for the bed to be delivered, sitting in a folding chair that was positioned by the window, next to a ledge that you used a side table for your coffee mug. At that point, it was the only piece of furniture you had; a folding chair next to a window. It didn’t discourage you, though. You found it refreshing to start over and rebuild on your own.</p><p>Well, kind of on your own, with Charlie helping until you could get there.</p><p>A knock at the door echoed through the empty room as you stood and walked over to let in the delivery guys. They piled in with all the furniture pieces and began putting the bed together.</p><p>Something definitely looked off when they set the frame down because it was much larger than you remembered. You worried it was too big for your studio as you scanned the receipt to verify what you purchased.</p><p>“Um, quick question. Is this a full?” You asked, pointing at the receipt and showing one of the delivery guys.</p><p>He pulled out another receipt from his back pocket. “King.” He handed you the paperwork that showed a king sized bed to be delivered to your address. Confused by the misprint, you started to panic.</p><p>“Whoa, I ordered a full. I can’t afford anything bigger.” you said as you watched the men construct the four poster bed into the air. You realized it looked almost identical to Charlie’s. In fact… it was Charlie’s bed, but in the color white.</p><p>“Sorry miss, I just do what the paperwork tells me.” the man shrugged, leaving you in your stupor as he helped the other guys finish putting the bed together.</p><p>Once everyone left, you closed and locked your front door, walking over to the bed that was so massive, it took up the majority of your tiny studio. You ran both hands through your hair and sighed. It was absolutely beautiful but you knew it was way out of your price range. It would take you years to pay him back for this.</p><p>You glanced around for any free space, wondering where in the hell you would put a sofa or a small dining table. There simply wasn’t room for anything else. Your entire apartment was just one big bed now. A part of you resented him for making such a big change without consulting you first about it.</p><p>You sat on the plush mattress and bounced up and down. You lifted your legs up and reclined back to lay down. Holy fucking shit, it was the most comfortable bed you’d ever felt in your life. You playfully rolled several times across the extra wide mattress until you reached the other side and giggled.</p><p>Okay. Maybe you could forgive him. For now.</p><p>You arrived at the theatre that evening and saw Charlie standing near the audio booth, reviewing settings with a tech.</p><p>“Mr. Barber, may I speak with you?” You said, in the most professional tone, catching his attention away from the tech as he gave you a wicked look.</p><p>He patted the tech on the shoulder without a word and walked past you, nodding in the direction he was walking as an unspoken invitation to follow him into the private audio booth. You walked into the cramped space, trying not to bump into the motherboards and switches that were lit up in all different colors.</p><p>Charlie closed the door and sat on the only stool in the room while crossing his arms.</p><p>You both stared at each other in silence. He knew what you wanted to talk to him about so he waited for you to start, giving you a look of amusement.</p><p>“What were you thinking? It’s far too expensive.” You said, trying to appear serious as you suppressed the smile behind your face. He was so damn cute sitting there acting all innocent.</p><p>“I believe the words you are looking for are… Thank you, daddy.” he said in his deep voice, giving you a crooked smile.</p><p>“You know I can’t fit anything else in my apartment now, right?” you argued back.</p><p>“What else would you need to do besides sleep, fuck and shower?” he glanced over to the switch panel, appearing uninterested in your concern.</p><p>You scoffed at him and reached over to tilt his chin back towards you. “Is that all you think I do?” your gaze was heavy on him as he peered at you. “I’ll have you know I’m much more than just your little fuck doll.”</p><p>He smirked. “Prove it.”</p><p>You were taken aback by the challenge. “Okay. Fine.” you paused, trying to think of something non-sexual. “I’ll cook dinner. Tonight. At your place, obviously, since I don’t have a dining table.” you aimed the last words at him.</p><p>He grinned sweetly at you, standing up from the stool and kissing your forehead. “I look forward to it.”</p><p>He exited the booth as you took a moment to yourself to gather your thoughts. After a second you realized it wasn’t your thoughts you had to sort through. It was your heart. Charlie was growing on you in a major way. You knew it was dangerous territory since he had been clear he wasn’t in this for anything serious. He was emotionally unavailable and you should be, too.</p><p>The cast gathered in the green room, chatting and getting ready for the pre-show. You were sitting on a couch with Sam as he told you the dramatic story of his apartment being broken into when your attention was interrupted by Ben standing in the doorway. He walked into the room, fists balled and face red, looking like he was about to explode from rage.</p><p>It took you .2 seconds to remember why he would be so pissed as you glanced across the room to Charlie who was total oblivious that Ben even walked in. He stormed over to Charlie and you stood up quickly.</p><p>“Ben!” you shouted, causing everyone to turn and look at you, including Charlie. That’s when Ben’s fist collided with Charlie’s cheek, causing Charlie’s face whip to the side from the unexpected impact.</p><p>Charlie grabbed his jaw, looking stunned as everyone gasped, watching and waiting for what would happen next.</p><p>Ben pointed his finger in Charlie’s face. “You’re a fucking asshole.”</p><p>You stood frozen, witnessing the scene unfold before you. Charlie’s chest was rising and falling heavily as he tried to keep his cool in front of everyone but you could see the anger boiling up inside of him.</p><p>Once you found the ability to move, you walked over in between them and placed your hand on Ben’s chest, pushing him back away from Charlie.</p><p>“Enough…” you warned Ben. “You should be angry with me, not him.”</p><p>You saw tears starting to build in Ben’s eyes as he looked at you defending Charlie. “What is he doing to you…?” he said, shaking his head. “This isn’t you.” He gestured to you and Charlie with his hands.</p><p>You looked around the room, all eyes still on you with the show set to start in less than ten minutes. You tugged Ben’s arm and led him out of the green room into a vacant dressing room across the hall and closed the door.</p><p>“Have you lost you’re fucking mind?? You just punched the director of the show.” you shoved Ben. “Your boss!”</p><p>Ben was fuming. “OUR boss! He is our boss and you fucked him on my couch?!?” He shouted back.</p><p>You exhaled sharply and raised your voice. “Might I remind you that I wouldn’t have fucked him at ALL if it wasn’t for you being a lying, cheating prick!!”</p><p>You knew that was a lie, you certainly would’ve fucked Charlie at some point, giving into the sexual tension, which would have landed you in the hot seat instead of Ben.</p><p>You both stood in an angry silence as you let yourself come down from the fight.</p><p>You heard a loud boom from the other side of the wall and it startled you. Peeking out the door and into the hallway, you watched Charlie’s figure storm off towards the exit. Drywall crumbled from the wall only feet away.</p><p>He must have heard you.</p><p>Sam stood in the doorway of the green room, glancing at the hole in the wall then locking eyes on you. “So… showtime?” he said, tilting his brow.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Running through the show without Charlie there felt awkward. You had only done it once before, and that was when you ran into him later that night on a date. Needless to say, when he wasn’t at the live shows, he was up to no good.</p><p>When the show finished, you quickly grabbed your belongings and left without even changing out of your waitress costume. You took the train to Charlie’s and arrived on his doorstep within 20 minutes of the show ending.</p><p>You knocked, but no one answered. You rang the doorbell with the same outcome. Deeply sighing, you turned to walk down the steps of his brownstone, wondering where else he could be.</p><p>The buzzing of your phone made you pause mid-step as you pulled it out. It was a text from Charlie.</p><p>Door code 1983</p><p>You pinched your brow and looked back up towards the door. There was a keypad that you never realized was there before. You stepped back up and entered the code, hearing the lock hum as it released. You turned the knob and found yourself standing in Charlie’s foyer, alone in a mostly dark house.</p><p>“Hello?” you said into the darkness. Nothing answered back but stillness. You walked up the dark stairway, feeling your heart race when you saw the soft glow of a light from under the closed bedroom door.</p><p>You stood in front of the door and swallowed slowly, taking a deep breath before opening it.</p><p>Charlie was sitting in his reading chair by the window but he looked different. You registered next that his hand was bloody. Stepping in further to the room, you saw his dresser mirror was shattered with broken glass scattered on the floor in front of it.</p><p>“Charlie…” you whispered out of concern before you could even stop yourself.</p><p>His eyes snapped from the floor and up to you, giving you a threatening look.</p><p>“I’m sorry, I- ...are you alright?” you stepped towards him cautiously, tip-toeing across the broken glass.</p><p>He moved his dark gaze back to the floor as his bloody hand rested on the arm of the chair. You guessed that between the wall and the mirror, his hand was broken by now.</p><p>Once you made it through the field of shattered glass, you stood next to him and peered down to his injury. Kneeling to take a closer look, you placed your hand on his knee while his bloody hand was level to your face. You silently studied it, and narrowed your eyes. There were several gashes and deep cuts along his knuckles. An empty glass of hard liquor was sitting loosely in his other hand.</p><p>He hadn’t spoken a word to you yet and you wondered how you could help him. It seemed clear to you that he was feeling a loss of power and needed to feel in control again. Charlie never did hit Ben back, but you knew he wanted to do it more than ever. He was pissed that Ben acted cowardly by striking him when he wasn’t expecting it in front of everyone. Also, if he heard your fight with Ben, it might’ve triggered more rage on top of it all.</p><p>You knew what you needed to do.</p><p>“...daddy….” you said softly, bringing your lips to his bloody hand and kissing it. “...I wanna make you feel better…” you said, looking up at him with intention.</p><p>His gazed quickly moved to you as his bourbon laced breath became heavy, lips parted watching you trail kisses across his injured hand, blood staining your mouth along the way. It was as if he couldn’t believe you would show him such compassion and kindness in his moment of destructive weakness.</p><p>Pulling your mouth away, you licked the blood from your lips, sucking on them while keeping your eyes on his. The taste of metal against your tongue was decadent knowing it was the flavor of Charlie.</p><p>“I’m angry.” he finally said, voice dark and broken. “Real fucking angry. I’m not sure you can help with that.”</p><p>You considered him for a moment, biting your bottom lip, searching for purpose. You trusted him and knew he needed a place to release his fury.</p><p>“Use me.” you offered, selflessly. “Take it out on me.”</p><p>Arousal painted across his face, looking at you with fierce passion in his eyes. It’s possible you may have just evoked the devil to come play with you but for whatever reason, you wanted to do anything to make him feel better.</p><p>Charlie placed the empty bourbon glass on the side table and brought his hand to your throat. “I can’t guarantee I’m in the right mind to stop myself if you use your safe word tonight.” he warned, keeping his lips inches away from yours.</p><p>Your breath picked up, gazing into his eyes. “Something tells me I won’t want you to stop, daddy.”</p><p>He pressed his kiss against you, hard, smothering you as his hand squeezed your throat. After a few seconds he pulled away as you gasped for air.</p><p>“Take off your fucking clothes.” he ordered, leaning back into the chair.</p><p>You stood up and removed the waitress costume you had kept on from the play, tossing it to the side of the room and standing in your bra and panties in front of him. His eyes scanned your body before landing on your gaze, raising his brow.</p><p>You reached behind and unhooked your bra, letting it fall to the floor. Charlie bit his lip, studying your breasts as you slowly hooked your fingers into your panties to pull them down.</p><p>“Give those to me.” he reached his hand out.</p><p>You placed the panties into his grasp and he bunched them up in his hand, keeping them safe in his pocket. Your body began to shiver from being so exposed to the cool air of the room.</p><p>Charlie stood from the chair and stalked towards you, causing you to rescind backwards until you felt the edge of the bed against your heels.</p><p>“Don’t move.”</p><p>His voice was so dark, you wouldn’t dare disobey him. He stepped away to retrieve something from his closet and came back to you. The sound of velcro tearing stunned you as he wrapped your wrists in heavy duty cuffs, tossing the other end over his poster bed railing and attaching your other wrist. Your arms were fully extended above you now as you dangled from the edge of the bed, toes still touching the floor enough for some control.</p><p>Walking over to his nightstand next, he pulled the duct tape out, ripped a piece off and came back over to you. He kissed you roughly for a second before pulling away and replacing his lips with the tape across your mouth.</p><p>Fear and excitement mingled together in your veins, knowing how much the tape would hurt once he yanked it from your mouth, whenever that would be.</p><p>He ran his bloody hand down your neck, to your chest, smearing the red, sticky substance on your body as he clenched his jaw and flared his nostrils.</p><p>Locking eyes with you, he held your jaw with his injured hand. “You want daddy to hurt you, princess?”</p><p>You could hear the beating of your own heart in your head as you breathed steadily through your nose, wanting to surrender your entire self to him, trusting he would take care of you after it was over.</p><p>You softened your eyes on his and nodded.</p><p>Charlie twisted your body around so that you were facing the bed as he propped his knee up on the frame and against the front of your hips. He ran his injured hand down your spine, dragging his fingers down to your ass.</p><p>SMACK.</p><p>A muffled yelp into the tape escaped you at the same time Charlie grunted from the pain shooting through his hand. Your body jolted forward but his firm knee kept you in place.</p><p>He continued spanking you on either ass cheek, mutually participating in the pain alongside you with each blow.</p><p>You lost count of how many times he spanked you but one thing was for sure, you would be sore for several days and his hand may never be the same.</p><p>Charlie twisted you back around to face him, smacking your tits as he did and spitting on your chest. You flinched from the act.</p><p>“You’re a dirty little whore.” he seethed, watching his spit trail down your chest, mixing with his dried blood. He unbuckled his belt with his good hand, unzipping and pulling his hard length free.</p><p>“I don’t think you deserve to fuck this big cock.” he said, focused solely on your tits as he licked his lips.</p><p>“You wanna prove to daddy that you deserve it?” he asked, locking eyes with you and tilting his brow. You nodded in agreement.</p><p>He reached up and tore the velcro loose from both of the cuffs, freeing you. He slowly walked backwards, holding his swollen cock, glaring at you with intensity. The crunching of glass under his shoes filled the air.</p><p>“Get on all fours.”</p><p>You looked at the sea of broken glass under his feet and swallowed from behind the tape. You gradually lowered yourself to the clean floor underneath you.</p><p>“Good girl.” He praised you. “Now come and get it.” He directed in a deep voice, stroking himself teasingly.</p><p>The idea of crawling across broken glass for some dick made you cringe, but you swallowed your pride and pushed down the fear of pain as you began crawling forward, feeling the glass press into your hands at first. It wasn’t too painful until your knees reached the broken pieces. They dug into your skin more and more with every movement.</p><p>You moaned and groaned from the pain, tensing your body as you tried to move in closer to him. </p><p>You saw him shift backwards further away and you whined loudly, feeling the sting on your knees and hands. Wetness came next and you knew it was puncturing the skin.</p><p>“Jesus… you’re so fucking pathetic for me.” he said, stroking his own ego now. “You need this cock so bad you’re willing to bleed for it, aren’t you?”</p><p>“Mmmhmm..” was all you managed to muffle out as you winced from the pain.</p><p>Charlie walked around behind you and lifted you up from the pile of glass and placed you back where you had been standing, brushing away the pieces of glass from your hands and hooking you back into the velcro cuffs. Surprisingly, your hands didn’t seem to have any cuts but the blood dripping from your knees made up for it.</p><p>Once you were secured, he stepped back, taking in the view of you, stretched out and bleeding from the knees, with his dried blood smeared across your chest and neck.</p><p>“Fuuuuuck.” he said under his breath, feeling aroused by his work as he stroked himself.</p><p>He scanned you up and down several times, rubbing himself, as you dangled from his bed, aching to be touched.</p><p>“I’m gonna fuck that pussy, but only because I feel bad for you.” He said, chest rising and falling rapidly as he tried to control himself. “I decide if you even get to cum at all.” he concluded.</p><p>He pulled his sweater off, revealing his solid chest before pushing his pants and boxers down, stepping out of his shoes in the process. He approached you, fully nude now, as he grabbed your jaw and placed a hard kiss against the tape over your lips. You hated not feeling his full, soft lips.</p><p>He spit in his hand, stroking himself as he lifted one of your legs up, positioning himself to fuck you. Once you felt him inside, he moved your other leg up so that you could wrap yourself around his waist. There were still pieces of broken glass embedded in your bloody knees and you winced from the pain of him brushing against it.</p><p>He was a deviant on you as your arms remained extended upwards, succumbing completely to him as your control to do anything was taken away. His fingers dug into your ass, holding you tightly as he plunged himself into you erratically, grunting and growling loudly.</p><p>You felt him reach up from behind you to tug roughly on your hair, extending your head backwards so that he could suck on your neck, breathing heavy through his nose against your skin. You moaned into the tape over your mouth, feeling your walls begin to clamp down on him as pain mixed with pleasure rolled through you.</p><p>Charlie pulled out and backed away, leaving you throbbing at the cusp. You whined and arched your back, dangling from the bed, wanting to feel him inside you again.</p><p>He walked back over to you and ripped the tape from your mouth, burning your face as you cried out. Tears stung your eyes as you looked at him.</p><p>He jerked himself off, watching you ache for him.</p><p>“You need me, don’t you?” he said between ragged breaths.</p><p>His tone was laced with something deeper. A hidden meaning behind just needing him on a physical level. And you knew he was right, but you didn’t want to admit it. You didn’t want to need him like that.</p><p>“No.” you said in a whisper, finally able to speak again, squirming as the peak that was once rising in you started to dissipate.</p><p>His eye twitched as he stroked himself harder. “Don’t you fucking lie to me.” He said, through gritted teeth. “Say it… you’re a needy little slut! Say it!” he yelled.</p><p>Your chin started to quiver uncontrollably as he shouted, your eyes flooding as you bit your lip.</p><p>Charlie’s expression softened and he silently walked back over to you, releasing the velcro cuffs. Your weak arms fell loosely around his neck and he steadily lowered you down to the bed.</p><p>You kept your arms around him, holding him close to you, not wanting to make anymore eye contact for fear he would see straight through you again.</p><p>He buried his face in the nook of your neck and slowly slipped himself back into your warm, soft pussy. The pace and mood shifted from one extreme to the other as he seductively pushed and pulled his hips back and forth into you. You could feel so much more of him when he fucked you slower.</p><p>His lips hovering near your ear, hot breath pouring in and out of his mouth. “Tell me.” he whispered. “Tell me you need me.”</p><p>You moaned in response, trying to hold back and focus on the pleasure of him inside of you. If you said it out loud, it would feel real. You didn't want to admit that you needed him even though you did.</p><p>“Come on, baby.” he lightly nibbled at your earlobe. “Say it for daddy.”</p><p>Fuck it.</p><p>“I need you.” you whispered back. “I need you so fucking bad, daddy.” you squeezed your walls around his length as he groaned in approval. You tilted your head back as he trailed his lips across your neck, kissing and sucking the skin, pumping himself deeper into you.</p><p>“Oh God.. yes…” you moaned, eye rolling back into your head, bearing down on him again as you felt your peak rising once more.</p><p>“Mmmmm...fuuuuck. This pussy was made for me.” He moaned into your neck. He picked up his pace feeling you throb against him. He was getting close, too.</p><p>Charlie pulled his face away to look down at you, your eyes still closed as he fucked you, taking in all the sensations.</p><p>“Look at me.” he ordered.</p><p>Your eyes fluttered open and you locked your gaze with his. Excitement at your core grew the moment you made eye contact and you both held onto the intensity as Charlie began pumping into you faster.</p><p>You brought your hands to rest on the sides on his face as the blood rushed to his complexion, turning his face red and flushed. The sight of him peering down into your eyes as he thrusted faster into you made your orgasm skyrocket and before you knew it, you were digging your fingernails into his scalp and screaming “daddy” over and over as you rode out your pleasure.</p><p>Charlie quickly pulled out and came hard and fast on your abdomen, hovering over you as he jerked himself off completely, chest heaving, trying to catch his breath.</p><p>He swallowed thickly as he brought himself up to his knees, pushing the hair away from his sweaty face.</p><p>He looked down at you with new eyes, realizing the destruction he left all over your body. His expression turned empathetic as he tried not to touch your knees for fear of hurting you further.</p><p>Carefully, he cleaned his cum off your stomach before assisting you to a standing position and lifting you into his arms.</p><p>Charlie carried you to the bathroom and placed you gently down to sit on the edge of the soaking tub as he wrapped his large terry cloth robe around your shoulders. He examined your knees quickly before walking over to turn the shower on.</p><p>He bent down in front of you to carefully remove any remaining pieces of glass left in your skin. You hissed and curled your toes when he plucked off a larger piece.</p><p>“I’m sorry.” he whispered.</p><p>Once he felt confident he removed all the pieces, he stood and grabbed your hands to follow him into the steaming shower. He took his time washing away the carnage left all over your body.</p><p>Looking down, you watched as the water turned pink at your feet from all the blood, both fresh and dried. He turned you around to face him before he knelt down in front of you, resting on his heels.</p><p>Lifting your foot up to rest on his thigh, he ensured to clean the wounds before he delicately kissed them with his soft, wet lips. He gently caressed you, his Queen, as he gazed up doe-eyed.</p><p>Staring down upon him kneeling before you, you brought his injured hand up to your lips for a kiss while lightly stroking his wet hair in awe of how he was nursing your self-inflicted wounds back to health.</p><p>Like a true King.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Hurts like Hell</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>You stretched your body out the length of the bed, feeling the soreness in your muscles after a full night's sleep following what was arguably the craziest sex of your life. Blinking your eyes open and turning your head to the side, you saw Charlie's figure lying next to you on his back with the sheet resting loosely at his waist.</p><p>Hot damn.</p><p>You quietly turned to your side and propped your head upon your arm, watching him in his peaceful slumber. His chest swelling with each slow and steady breath he took, his raven locks falling chaotically around his face, his large hand, wrapped in bandages lazily resting on his lower abdomen.</p><p>He was beautiful.</p><p>You bit your lip, considering how you wanted to wake him. A blowjob? Or breakfast? You recalled how you offered to make dinner last night but never had the opportunity due to ...well, getting fucked like the fuck doll you are. Time to prove him wrong.</p><p>Breakfast, it is.</p><p>You slowly slipped out of the bed, tip-toeing across the floor. You realized Charlie had already swept up the broken glass from last night. He must have done it after you fell asleep, which wasn't much longer after your shower since you were exhausted.</p><p>You grabbed one of his button-up shirts that you found draped over an ottoman and put it on. It was large enough to cover your frame, resting just a few inches below your hips. Quiet as a mouse, you left the bedroom and made your way downstairs to the kitchen.</p><p>Searching in random cabinets and drawers, you found the basics to begin. Based on what Charlie had in his fridge, you were able to pull together enough ingredients to make a pretty decadent quiche. You wanted to impress him with something more than just scrambled eggs to show off your cooking skills for the first time.</p><p>Before you started, you brewed a nice big pot of coffee using the expensive roast that Charlie kept in a sealed container. The aroma quickly filled the kitchen as you prepared what you needed to get started.</p><p>You began by making the crust from scratch and once ready, you placed it to the side. You worked on the filling next as you let your mind wander freely to everything that happened last night. You fell into a daze remembering how you surrendered so much of yourself to Charlie, unlike you've ever done with anyone. The amount of trust you instilled in him astonished you considering you weren't in a defined relationship and still didn't know him very well beyond the surface. Yet here you are, in his kitchen, wearing his shirt, making breakfast as if you were some kind of girlfriend.</p><p>Unbeknownst to you, Charlie was watching from the kitchen doorway as your back was turned to him. He leaned against the frame, arms crossed with a slight grin on his face. You placed the pie crust down in the pan and began pouring the filling in.</p><p>"Looks amazing."</p><p>Your heart jumped from the unexpected deep voice that came from the other side of the kitchen. You finished your task and turned around, greeting him with a smile.</p><p>"It's my own recipe," you answered back.</p><p>Charlie proceeded to walk towards you, eyes scanning you up and down. "I can't wait to eat it."</p><p>He wrapped his arms around your frame, placing a kiss on your forehead. He was so tall that a hug from him put you face to face with his chest, pressing your ear against his solid pecs and up against his heartbeat.</p><p>Which appeared to be racing, so you noticed, much like yours.</p><p>You both held each other for a long, silent minute, feeling yourselves breathe in and out as you softly caressed one another.</p><p>This was...intimate.</p><p>Not in a sexual way, but emotional. Something was shifting between you and it was unplanned, unexpected, and what you feared mostly to be as, unwelcomed.</p><p>You cleared your throat as you pulled away, trying to act casual.</p><p>"There's coffee if you'd like some," you said, turning back around to finish making breakfast. The pit in your stomach grew, feeling foolish for letting your guard down, not only just a few seconds ago but last night, too. You admitted aloud that you needed him and you both knew it wasn't just for sex.</p><p>Charlie opened a cabinet to get two coffee mugs, filling them both before sitting down at the kitchen table with a long sigh.</p><p>"How's your hand?" you asked, genuinely curious but also trying to fill the silence.</p><p>"Hurts like hell. I'm seeing a doctor today. You should come with me. Need to make sure you're okay, too."</p><p>Placing the quiche into the oven, you glanced down to your knees, assessing the post-war damage. Charlie had placed Lego band-aids on all your cuts last night before you went to bed. Surely they were Henry's which you felt kind of bad about having to use them. Maybe you would go out and get some more so that you wouldn't be the bad guy who stole his cool Lego band-aids without his permission.</p><p>"Where's your doctor located? I'll need to see if they accept my insurance," you asked, walking over to sit with him at the table and drink your coffee.</p><p>"It's through the club. Part of the membership allows access to a private clinic for incidents like this. You'll be fully covered." He explained, taking a sip of his coffee.</p><p>"Oh. Bougie," you smirked, reaching over to examine his bandaged hand. Some blood had started to seep through the white gauze. "Looks like we need to change this." you stood from the table. "I'll go get the supplies." you offered, grabbing your phone from the counter as you headed upstairs to get some fresh gauze and tape.</p><p>Walking up the stairs you saw you had a voicemail from an unknown number. You stepped into the bedroom and pressed play.</p><p>"Hello, this is Jackie from Dr. Brogan's office. Your lab results came back and everything looks good. We did see a slight elevation of hCG in your urine so the doctor recommends taking a home pregnancy test if your period is late this month then call us back if the test is positive so we can schedule further screenings to confirm. Have a great day and let us know if you have any questions."</p><p>The voicemail ended and you remained in a state of shock, still holding the phone up to your ear as your brain insisted that what you just heard was a message meant for someone else. Your heart was pounding so hard you thought for sure it would burst in your chest.</p><p>Pregnant?</p><p>No. No. HELL no.</p><p>Taking a deep breath, you tried to remain calm. You remembered the last time you had a pregnancy scare about two years ago and it ended up being a false positive. Nodding to yourself, you encouraged your mind that it could certainly be a fluke.</p><p>Shaking your head to snap yourself back to the moment you hurried into the bathroom and grabbed the supplies from under the sink.</p><p>Taking what you needed, you noticed a small, purple toiletry bag in the back of the cabinet. As if your anxiety wasn't already elevated, you reached for it without a thought. It definitely didn't look like a bag Charlie would own, but rather something that would belong to a woman.</p><p>You told yourself to put it back, that it wasn't your business and whatever was in it would just hurt you. But instead of listening to your conscious, you listened to your instincts, once again.</p><p>You unzipped the bag and peeked inside. Sifting through the items which were mainly makeup, bobby pins, you found a small bottle of perfume. You pulled it out and brought it up to your nose. It smelled of cheap, sweet cotton candy. You couldn't believe Charlie would hook up with someone who wore it. You stuffed it back into the bag, zipped it up, and shoved it into the cabinet where you found it.</p><p>You hated knowing that someone was keeping their belongings at his house. Even if it was just a small bag of easily replaceable items, it made you sick.</p><p>Heavily sighing, you stormed out of the bedroom and quickly made your way downstairs. What a great reminder to snap you back to the reality of how this is only physical for him.</p><p>You scooted the kitchen chair back roughly as you sat down, silently grabbing for Charlie's hand, not at all wanting to show him any affection for his wounds. You removed the wrapped bandage, taking a quick look at his cuts before haphazardly applying some rubbing alcohol.</p><p>"Shhhhit...fuck!" Charlie hissed, gritting his teeth.</p><p>"Yeah, that probably burns, huh?" you said, grinning on the inside, hoping it hurt.</p><p>"It does when you do like that," he said plainly, pulling his hand back to inspect his wounds. "I hope it's not infected."</p><p>He cautiously put his hand back down on the table for you to finish. Images of him tenderly nursing your wounds last night came to mind and you started to feel bad for being so careless. It wasn't like he lied to you. He told you what this was from the beginning. But a part of you felt like things had changed drastically since your first night together and that he owed you an explanation of sorts if there was someone else. But then again, you still had Scarlett in your life.</p><p>You gently rebandaged his hand before leaning down to place a kiss on it.</p><p>"Thank you," he said, grinning at the sweet gesture.</p><p>You sat there, dazing off as your mind reprocessed the voicemail from the nurse. You tried to recount when your period should start so that you would know when you'd be officially late.</p><p>Today, you remembered. It should come today.</p><p>Charlie noticed your mind wandering and spoke up.</p><p>"You okay?"</p><p>Snapping back to reality, you gave him a quick nod. "Yep."</p><p>You bit your lip, looking up to the ceiling where his bedroom is and what you found in his master bath.</p><p>"No." you corrected yourself.</p><p>Charlie adjusted his posture in the chair and leaned forward, resting on his elbows, and giving you a raised brow, silently waiting for you to continue.</p><p>You hesitated, trying to find the best way to put into words what you wanted to ask him.</p><p>Who's fucking makeup bag is in your bathroom?</p><p>I want to know how many women you have in rotation.</p><p>Do you act the way you did last night with them?</p><p>Do you switch for them, too, or is that something special just for me?</p><p>Okay, simmer down, let's start somewhere between crazy and reasonable.</p><p>Staring at the table, you inhaled deeply through your nose trying to ground yourself.</p><p>"Things are starting to feel intense for me." you locked your eyes on his. "Maybe a little too intense." You paused to gauge his reaction. He narrowed his eyes at you suspiciously. You were already nervous but now you were terrified to continue. You moved your gaze back down to the table and swallowed, searching for courage.</p><p>"I... we...." you needed to try a different angle.</p><p>"You know, we didn't use a condom last night. Again. That's like, two or three times now, and... it makes me nervous." You matched his gaze again, feeling a bit more confident.</p><p>A shameful expression appeared on his face as he leaned back in the chair, pulling his eyes downward.</p><p>You stayed silent waiting for him to respond.</p><p>"Do you think you're pregnant?" He looked back up at you with concern. The same pit in your stomach from earlier when you heard the voicemail began growing bigger and you started to feel lightheaded.</p><p>"I'm just saying that I know you're with other people and as long as that's the case, we should always be using protection. Don't you agree?"</p><p>Somehow you managed to power through the internal meltdown you were having to say something completely logical, covering up the fact that you, in fact, were worried about being pregnant.</p><p>Charlie acknowledged you and nodded in agreement.</p><p>You both stared at each other in silence and within seconds the timer on the oven went off.</p><p>Quiche was done.</p><p>____________________________________________________________________________</p><p> </p><p>You sat in the waiting room with Charlie at the medical clinic that was located in the same unmarked building as the club but on a different floor. The second floor, to be exact. You figured the club owned several floors of the building, if not the whole place, seeming it was a "one-stop-shop" in the BDSM world; a club, a hotel, and a clinic. Perhaps the building held even more secrets beyond its windowless walls.</p><p>A nurse called your names and you both followed her back to the exam room. Other than the fact the staff working there knew exactly what your injuries were from, the clinic looked and seemed like any other professional healthcare setting.</p><p>The doctor greeted you both immediately upon entry to the room, shaking hands, and gesturing to the exam table. You hopped up onto it, sitting with your legs dangling down while Charlie remained standing beside you. You almost felt like a child whose dad brought you to the doctor for your annual school physical.</p><p>The doctor reviewed your intake forms briefly before putting latex gloves on. "Sounds like we have some hand and knee injuries from exposure to broken glass?" he asked, looking only at Charlie for confirmation.</p><p>Charlie cleared his throat. "Yes..." he gestured to your injuries first, wanting the doctor to take care of you before he moved to his hand. "I removed the pieces, washed the wound, applied disinfectant, and then the bandages."</p><p>The doctor nodded as he began pulling the band-aids away from your skin. "Legos, cool," he smiled. "Well, you did everything right, Charlie. This looks really good. I think she'll heal up nicely." He began preparing a fresh bandage for you as he asked Charlie about his hand.</p><p>"So what happened there?" He asked, tapping a new bandage onto your knee.</p><p>Charlie lifted his injured hand and looked at it, twisting his wrist back and forth. "I hit a mirror, which caused the broken glass."</p><p>"Did you think you hit it hard enough to break any bones?" the doctor asked.</p><p>Charlie shrugged, "I don't really remember doing it, to be honest."</p><p>You recalled seeing Charlie holding an empty glass of bourbon when you entered the room. He must have gotten drunk before hitting the mirror if he doesn't even remember doing it. You wondered if he forgot other parts of the night and the things he said.</p><p>"You also punched the wall at the theater," you spoke up, making sure the doctor knew there were two incidents. "It was loud so I know you hit it hard," you said, looking up at him.</p><p>Charlie's gaze moved to the floor as he shuffled his feet, looking a bit irritated.</p><p>"Right." He sighed.</p><p>Once the doctor was finished with you he moved to Charlie and unwrapped his hand. He instructed him to perform some mobility tests and determined that the pain he was feeling was most likely due to some small fractures within his knuckles.</p><p>"Your cuts look clean, and in line with her wounds. I don't think the fractures are anything to worry about as they will also heal with time." he started to rebandage Charlie's hand, showing you how to prepare an immobilizing technique with the wrap. You would need to help do this for him since there was no way he could do it with one hand. "I'll get you some pain meds but it's important to let this hand rest so it will heal faster."</p><p>Charlie watched the doctor instruct you on how to wrap his hand properly, eyes fully focused on how well you were paying such close attention to what needed to be done.</p><p>His mind replayed last night and he began to remember everything, clenching his jaw at the memory of how he made you admit that you needed him and how much you tried to resist the admission.</p><p>Looking at you now, he recognized that he needed you. Not physically, not sexually, but on a deeper level. He felt a connection to you, a desire to be with you whenever you weren't around. He pictured you anytime he was with another woman, foolishly trying to keep the world he had found comfort with intact even though it was clearly falling apart.</p><p>Commiseration washed over him, understanding why you didn't want to admit it. He didn't want to admit it, either.</p><p>You both walked out of the clinic and headed towards the elevator right as the doors were opening. A beautiful woman stepped out and smiled at you before her attention was stolen by Charlie.</p><p>"Charlie, long time, no see." she casually moved over to greet him with a kiss on the cheek.</p><p>You immediately felt inferior to her designer Jimmy Choo heels, polished black hair, and a killer body. She was the definition of a "lady" and at that moment you were still feeling like Charlie's little kid. You noticed how he nonchalantly touched her waist when she kissed his cheek and it made you cringe.</p><p>"Isabel. Good to see you." Charlie smiled at her before introducing the two of you by names only and omitting any titles. She gave you warm smile and shook your hand with her perfectly manicured nails.</p><p>"Well, I won't keep the two of you, I'm here on business only today but perhaps I'll see you both at the club sometime soon," she said, kindly as she strutted away looking fierce.</p><p>You and Charlie silently stepped into the elevator as you bit your tongue desperately trying not to ask who she was. The doors closed and you took a deep breath, inhaling in and out through your nose.</p><p>You smelled her perfume still lingering in the air of the elevator. Sweet, cotton candy.</p><p>You knew exactly who she was. Purple toiletry bag.</p><p>Internally fuming, you climbed into the backseat of the Uber after Charlie. Your heart was about to beat out of your chest from anger and you could barely even look at him. He gave the driver his address and rested his hand on your leg.</p><p>"Actually, I'd like to go home," you said, giving the driver your address and telling them to stop there first.</p><p>Charlie clutched your leg with his hand attempting to gain your attention.</p><p>"She's not in my life right now." He said softly, already sensing why you were so pissed.</p><p>You shrugged. "Great."</p><p>His eyes were burning into you as you stared out the window, resting your elbow on the window ledge and rubbing your forehead.</p><p>"What," he said curtly, wanting you to tell him what you were thinking. Oh, if he only knew.</p><p>You turned to face him. "Who is in your life right now?"</p><p>Even though you knew there was no promise of commitment and he knew about your affection for Scarlett, at least he was aware of who else was in your life. You wanted the same from him.</p><p>Charlie shook his head at you, offended by your question. "I told you who I am." he scoffed. "You knew what you were agreeing to. I never lied to you."</p><p>Completely unsatisfied with his answer (because he was right and you are stubborn), you ordered the driver to pull over. "Right here is fine, thank you." you started opening the door before the car even came to a stop.</p><p>Charlie said your name and grabbed your wrist, keeping you from getting out right away. "How is Scarlett, by the way," he asked in a deep, dark sarcastic tone, reminding you of the hypocrisy.</p><p>Your locked eyes with him and you snatched your wrist back. "I'll be sure to ask her after I fuck her on my new bed."</p><p>You sprang out of the car and onto the safety of the city sidewalk before there was any more retaliation while slamming the door in his face. By the look in his eyes as the car pulled away, he was ready to murder you.</p><p>You were about half a mile away from your apartment when you walked by a local pharmacy. You stopped and stood in front of it contemplating whether to go in and buy a home pregnancy test. Your period still hadn't arrived yet and although it was normal for you to be late a day or so, you needed peace of mind.</p><p>There were so many options to choose from and you wanted to make sure you got one of good quality. Not wanting to play the guessing game, you opted for an electronic one that would simply read "pregnant" or "not pregnant". No lines, no fuss, and it was a two for one deal, so you'd have back up in case a second test was needed to keep your nerves at bay.</p><p>You walked into your apartment, tossing the pharmacy bag onto the bed, and grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge. Taking a drink, you leaned up against the kitchen counter, staring at the bag on the bed and feeling your anxiety start to rise.</p><p>Just get it over with, you told yourself.</p><p>You could sit here and torture yourself on what life would be like, pregnant with Charlie Barber's baby as he continuing galavanting across town while you stayed home with your swollen ankles perched up, reading a book about how to better prepare yourself for post-partum depression.</p><p>OR</p><p>You could just take the damn test and freak out later.</p><p>After you did what you needed to do, all that was left was waiting. You left the test sitting on your vanity as you walked over to sit on the edge of the bed, watching your phone timer countdown the minutes.</p><p>Time slowed down and your blood pressure sped up as you became uneasy. You weren't sure if you'd even have the strength to look at it once it was time.</p><p>Future visions of raising a baby alone while trying to pursue your acting career flashed into your mind. Struggling to find daycare, worrying about paying bills, making sacrifices left and right to accommodate another life who solely depended on you to survive.</p><p>Your heart stopped when you heard a knock at the door.</p><p>Quietly, you stood and walked over to it, peeking through the peephole. It was Scarlett. She must have decided on her own to stop by and see your new place.</p><p>You glanced back to the bathroom and swallowed. Opening the door, you greeted her with a forced smile.</p><p>"Hey, love! I was down the road having lunch with a friend and realized how close your place was so I wanted to see if you were home," she said, reaching in to hug you.</p><p>"Hey... good to see you, Scar," you said sheepishly, glancing over your shoulder.</p><p>"Oh shit, do you have company?" she asked, noticing how nervous you appeared to be.</p><p>"No, no...I'm sorry, please, come in. Can I get you some water?" you asked, pulling the door wide open for her.</p><p>Your heart dropped when you heard your phone timer go off.</p><p>"Oh wow... That's one hell of a bed, Miss Thing," she said, walking towards it in awe. "It's stunning. I love it." She turned quickly, checking out the rest of the space and peeking into the bathroom. She paused in the doorway as something clearly caught her attention and you held your breath. You figured having someone else look and give you the news was an easier option.</p><p>You saw her reach for the test and study it as she walked back out and towards you.</p><p>"Umm..." she said, holding the test and looking up at you. "Do you already know what it says?"</p><p>All the color drained from your face and you shook your head, eyes starting to flood with tears.</p><p>With a sullen expression on her face, she handed you the test and you hesitated before taking it from her and looking down to read the display.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Pregnant.</p><p> </p><p>A/N: please don't come for me. 🙃 I love y'all. -XO</p>
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<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Secrets</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Scarlett sat on your bed and watched you pace back and forth across your tiny apartment. She held the test in her hand, examining it and giving you time to work through your thoughts. </p><p>"It has to be wrong. There was only that one time when we... you know... and I... I can't be pregnant. I always take my pill. Every day." you rambled on and on, trying to talk yourself down from the never-ending spiral.</p><p>Scarlett looked up with an inquisitive expression. "Is it... Charlie's?"</p><p>You stopped in your tracks, giving her a bold look, irritated that she would even think it was someone else, like Ben of all people. "Of course it's Charlie's! I mean... it's not... I'm not. UGH!!" You grabbed your head, trying to physically contain all your thoughts.</p><p>"Okay, okay... I'm sorry." She stood from the bed and held your arms at your side, comforting you. "No matter what happens, I'm here for you. Whatever you do, whatever you decide... I'm here."</p><p>Softening the strain in your face, you took a deep breath and looked down to the floor, head hanging low. "Thank you. But you're too good." you looked back up at her. "You don't deserve... baby mama drama." you couldn't help but smirk while rolling your eyes and she chuckled along with you. </p><p>"Hey, I'm your friend, first and foremost. And I'm here if you need someone," she confirmed.</p><p>You embraced each other in a big hug, and you thanked her again for being so amazing. People like Scarlett were one in a million. She was uncomplicated and her friendship was unconditional. A straightforward diva when she needed to be, outgoing at parties, and a sweet, sexy little kitten in the bedroom. It never escaped you just how lucky you were to have her in your life. </p><p>Pulling back from the hug, you tucked some loose hair behind her ear. "I have to work this evening at the spa, but let me take you out for dinner tomorrow. We need another date night."</p><p>Scarlett grinned at you. "Ooo, baby mama wants to get her groove back?"</p><p>You playfully grabbed her waist and yanked her closer to you. "I never lost my groove, sweetie," you whispered against her lips before kissing her softly. </p><p>Maybe it was your newfound hormones or the fact that she looked so damn good on your bed, but whatever it was, you needed to feel her skin against yours again.</p><p>Holding her gently by the neck as you continued kissing her, you slowly walked her back to the bed before pushing her onto it, letting her collapse onto her back giggling in delight. She ran both hands up her body, arching her back before extending her arms above her head. </p><p>"God, this bed is so comfortable." she hummed, caressing the bedspread. </p><p>"It is." you agreed, removing your clothes. "But I don't feel like sleeping." you crawled on top of her in your bra and panties, burying your face in her cleavage, kissing and sucking on the delicate, smooth skin. Her scent, vanilla and coconut, was so delicious you could practically eat her. </p><p>She moaned against your touch, running her fingers through your hair as you cupped her breasts, kissing all the way from her chest, to her neck, to her crimson lips. Moving down you slid your hands along her bare thighs, pushing her short dress up further to her hips. You hooked a finger around her panties and tugged them, bringing yourself up to your knees and kissing her ankles as you removed them completely. </p><p>She looked up at you from the bed and bit her lip as she watched you suck on your fingers to wet them for her. Moving your hand to her core, you felt her natural heat and wetness as you carefully touched her before leaning back down and kissing her deeply. You ran your wet fingers gently up and down her folds, warming her up to your touch. She moaned into your mouth as you felt her wetness start to cover your fingers.</p><p>KNOCK, KNOCK...</p><p>"Shit..." Scarlett whispered. </p><p>"Ignore it," you whispered back against her lips. "They'll go away."</p><p>You buried your face into the nook of her neck and groaned, pushing your fingers inside her causing a loud moan to escape her. </p><p>KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK...</p><p>A deep, familiar voice said your name from the other side of the door. You paused your movements and lifted your attention away from Scarlett to listen.</p><p>"Open the door."</p><p>It was him. </p><p>"...Fuck," you said under your breath.</p><p>You weren't in the mood to argue with him, as you were a bit preoccupied at the moment. Plus, you were still fuming from earlier and needed to mentally rehearse how you'd explain why you reacted so dramatically. That sort of conversation could wait until tomorrow. </p><p> "Go away, Charlie!" you shouted towards the door. </p><p>Oops.</p><p>You heard what sounded like keys shuffling and one inserting into the deadbolt. You scoffed in disbelief as you couldn't remember ever giving him a key to your place. Surely this was a joke.</p><p>Before you could even object, he was opening the door, walking in, and leaning up against the kitchen counter, arms crossed, staring daggers at you as if he owned the place. </p><p>You lifted yourself off of Scarlett as she quickly adjusted her dress and you stood at the edge of the bed in your undergarments, paying no mind to cover yourself up. This was your apartment, after all.</p><p>"Scarlett. Nice to see you, again," he sneered, judgemental eyes never leaving you. </p><p>"Charlie..." she said in annoyance, scooting herself to the edge of the bed and putting her shoes back on. She walked over to the door, looking over her shoulder at you. "Talk to you tomorrow?"</p><p>Infuriated that Charlie had just walked in, uninvited, and disrupted a private moment, you strutted over to Scarlett with confidence and kissed her deeply in front of him. You could feel his eyes searing into you but it only made you act up even more. You swore you heard him let out a low growl. </p><p>Releasing the kiss slowly, you caressed her face and smiled. </p><p>"See you tomorrow," you confirmed, scanning her body up and down.</p><p>As she walked out, you closed the door leaving just you and Charlie alone. You stood in front of him, half nude, as you both engaged in a staring match fit for two people ready to go to battle. You tilted your head upwards to appear dominant, peering down at him. </p><p>"How'd you get a key?"</p><p>"Did you fuck her?"</p><p>Both of you spoke in unison. </p><p>You scoffed at him, crossing your arms and resting into your hip. "I don't see how that's any of your business considering the source," you replied. </p><p>He ran his tongue over his teeth behind his closed lips before lifting himself off the edge of the counter, standing tall and towering over you. His face tensed as he gazed down at you while tucking his hands in his pockets.</p><p>"Okay. New rules."</p><p>His tone was domineering, not asking but telling you that there would be new rules and that you should pay attention. </p><p>"My previous rules still apply... with the exception that I will submit to you, but only when I allow it." he walked over to your bed placing his hands on his hips. </p><p>"Rule 4: you won't fuck anyone else on this bed unless I give you permission or until it's paid in full." </p><p>You rolled your eyes, not at all condoning this new rule. </p><p>He walked back over to you and placed his hands on the sides of your face. "The last rule, which is the most important one... We are honest with each other. Anything you want to know about me, ask, and I'll tell you the truth. I'll expect the same from you."</p><p>Taking a deep breath, you considered his new revisions and decided you had some of your own to add. </p><p>"Okay. I agree, as long as I can add my own addendum," you said, as his hands fell from your face, dragging along the sides of your arms, and grasping your waist.</p><p>"You won't fuck anyone else in your bed, either. Unless, of course, I give you permission," you said, knowing damn well you would never give him permission. </p><p>Charlie gripped your waist and exhaled deeply. "That's fair."</p><p>It wasn't a total shift to be monogamous with each other, but it was a significant step given the current status of your relationship with him. A step towards respecting each others' wishes, personal space, and to be honest.</p><p>He brought his lips down to yours, pressing into you as his hands moved to the small of your small, bringing you in closer to him. You placed your arms around his neck and leaped up, wrapping your legs around his waist, and letting him carry you over to the bed all the while keeping your kiss intact. </p><p>Within mere minutes you had switched partners in your bed and the thought of just how scandalous it all was made you feel powerful. </p><p>Charlie lowered you onto your back, hands moving to the bed as he hovered over you. Your kisses trailed down to his neck as you sucked, tasting the saltiness of his skin.</p><p>You felt something vibrate between your bodies. It was Charlie's phone. He lifted himself up to his knees and pulled the phone out from his pants pocket. Looking at the screen he put a finger up to you.</p><p>"Hey," he answered as if he expected to get the call.</p><p>You heard a soft female voice speaking and immediately felt strange laying on the bed underneath him half-naked. He didn't move or react in a way that indicated he wasn't still planning to fuck you after the call, so you just waited patiently. </p><p>"Yeah... I know," he said, looking down at you before switching to hold the phone with his injured hand and bringing his good hand up to his mouth, collecting spit and moving his fingers to your core. You flinched from the unexpected touch, watching a crooked grin paint across his face. He pulled your panties to the side and brushed his wet fingers against your slit.</p><p>"Well, what does Henry want to do?" he said, dipping a finger into you, eyes studying you as your breath hitched.</p><p>Holy shit, he must be talking to his ex-wife. You bit your bottom lip, overly turned on by how taboo it was to have Charlie finger fuck you while he conversed about child care plans with her.</p><p>He appeared totally in control of the situation, pumping his fingers inside of you, watching you struggle to keep your composure.</p><p>"Okay...," his face tensed slightly as he gritted his teeth, plunging in deeper. You covered your mouth with your hand, finding it more difficult to stay quiet. Your other hand grabbed his wrist that was moving back and forth at a more rapid pace. </p><p>"Yeah, that works," he said calmly, gazing down at your cunt, jaw slacked while his hand worked intensely on you.</p><p>"Alright, see you tomorrow," he hung up the phone and quickly tossed it onto the bed, leaning over and bringing his mouth close to yours.</p><p>"Are you gonna cum like a good girl for daddy," he asked, redirecting his full attention and fucking you harder with his hand as you squirmed under him.</p><p>"Mmmhmm," you moaned in agreement, feeling your peak rise to the brink. He was practically panting as he watched you arch your back and hold your breath, awaiting your release. </p><p>Your hands grabbed his hair and a scream escaped you once it finally hit. Charlie's mouth found your neck, sucking roughly as you worked through the warm rush over your body.</p><p>His movements gradually stopped as you pulsated around his fingers. He pulled his hand up and tasted his fingers humming with approval before bringing them to your mouth and making you do the same.</p><p>He watched you suck his fingers intently as he swallowed, slowly pulling his hand away from your mouth and sitting up on the bed with his back to you.</p><p>"That was my ex-wife, Nicole," he started to tell you, as you ran your hand along the comforter of the bed to sit up. You felt your hand graze something foreign and realized it was the pregnancy test. Your heart skipped as you clasped it tightly.</p><p>"She's bringing my son, Henry, to the city tomorrow for the holidays," he continued as you mentally considered whether you would show him the test or not. There was still a possibility that it was wrong, you reminded yourself. You wouldn't know for sure until you went to the doctor to have it confirmed. </p><p>He stood from the bed and you gradually moved your hand behind you, hiding the test.</p><p>Charlie turned, gazing down at you still sitting on the bed. "He'll stay with me for a few nights while his mom spends some time with friends," his hands rested on his hips. "I'll still be available but our.. private time... will be limited."</p><p>Gripping the test tightly behind you, you silently nodded that you understood. </p><p>"You work at the spa tonight, right?" he asked, remembering the schedule you gave him weeks ago.</p><p>"Yep," you replied, trying to appear normal.</p><p>He leaned down and kissed your forehead. "Come over after."</p><p>You shrugged. "I dunno," you said, glancing around. "I haven't been home very much." </p><p>You really just needed a break to collect your thoughts. Charlie was like a drug and maybe having a few nights off would be a good thing. </p><p>Glancing down at your knees, you recalled how it was barely 24 hours ago since you literally crawled across broken glass for his dick. A part you hated how much control he had over you but goddamn, did it feel so good to surrender to him. </p><p>He considered you for a moment. "Okay," he said shrugging back. "So... you'll call when you're ready to see me?"</p><p>"Yeah, sure," you said, still holding the test behind you.</p><p>He nodded and rubbed his chin. "Alright."</p><p>Charlie was not a fan of letting you call the shots like this. He mentally cringed at the idea of waiting for you to call him as if he was some needy little whore. He didn't wait. He hated waiting.</p><p>Walking over to the front door, he turned back around as he opened it. "So... you're gonna call me... right?" he said, almost needing to confirm again the ridiculous thing he was agreeing to.</p><p>"Yep... I'll call when I want to see you," you nodded from the bed. </p><p>His hand gripped the door handle.</p><p>"Right. Okay," he said in a low voice before walking out and leaving you alone.</p><p>Once he was gone, you pulled the test out and looked at it again. Your mind wandered to how Charlie would react if you told him. He was already a dad, after all, but you didn't really know how he felt about fatherhood. He hadn't been forthcoming about his past or his relationship with his son.</p><p>Given the agreement the two of you just made, you could ask him about those things now and get some clear answers. </p><p>But until then, and until you can get to the doctor, this would be your little secret. </p><p>Well, Scarlett knew, but she was trustworthy. </p><p>You didn't have time to keep dwelling on this, you needed to get ready for work and find a normal routine. One that didn't involve fucking Charlie non-stop and forgetting about your own self.</p><p>You stepped into the hot shower, enjoying the sensation on your sore muscles. Your body had been through so much and it was possibly about to go through a lot more. The water stung the cuts on your knees at first before you got used to the pain.</p><p>Running your hands over your hair, letting the water cascade down, you began to picture yourself pregnant again. It was so difficult to imagine given your current situation. You knew you weren't ready to be a mother and care for another human being. You could barely take care of the indoor plant that Jeffrey got you as a housewarming gift. </p><p>You were going through a selfish phase in your life, finally taking control of what you wanted and trying new things. Discovering who you were, what you liked, what you didn't like, and following your dreams was giving you so much joy. You didn't want to sacrifice any of it. Not for a kid, not for a man, not for a woman...</p><p>This was your time to shine and you weren't going to let some careless night with someone you hardly knew beyond the bedroom get in the way. Surely, Charlie would understand that and support you like Scarlett. </p><p>You shook your head at the image of you and Charlie pushing a stroller into the theater together as if you were some kind of couple. It was a ridiculous thought and would never work. Charlie was and always will be a womanizing, playboy, control freak. He would never give up his lifestyle just because he got some random theater actress pregnant.</p><p>And you didn't want him to. He should feel free to continue doing whatever makes him happy, just like you. </p><p>Another image of you and Charlie waking up in bed together while you both admired and played with your baby in between you came to mind. Charlie smiling as the baby giggled and wrapped their little hands around his fingers made your heart hurt. </p><p>What was your brain doing to you? This back and forth was torture. </p><p>You turned the faucet off and stepped out, grabbing a towel from the rack. You reminded yourself once more that the test could be wrong. The mental charade happening in your head was pointless until you knew for sure.</p><p>You dipped your head over, drying your wet hair when you suddenly felt the room spin. Lifting yourself up and then falling to your knees you hovered over the toilet and vomited. </p><p>For fuck sakes. It was the hot shower. You got dizzy from the heat. Yeah. That's all it was.</p><p>After you composed yourself, you sat on the dewy tile floor, leaning against the tub, and resting your head in your hands. Tears began pooling in your eyes and you let yourself cry. </p><p>You couldn't be pregnant. </p><p>The test was wrong. It was wrong. It was fucking wrong.</p>
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<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Together</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>By the next afternoon, you were already starting to feel better, having spoken to the doctor's office and getting an appointment scheduled. You'd have to wait a couple more weeks per their instruction before they could run more tests which seemed like an eternity. But you promised yourself you'd keep busy with things like reading, working, being with friends, decorating your apartment, and most definitely not getting pounded every night by Charlie Barber.</p><p>Nope. You were a new woman. And it was a new day. Charlie was trouble and you needed to detox your body of him... in more ways than one, most likely.</p><p>You sat in the chair next to the window as you sipped your coffee and watched the hustle and bustle outside. People all bundled up from the cold as they walked their dogs, carried their groceries, and commuted to and from work. Which reminded you of the fact that your fridge was empty and you should probably go shopping. You missed cooking and hadn't had a chance prepared a meal yet in your new apartment.</p><p>Strolling down the market aisle, clutching your hand-basket, you studied a jar of canned tomatoes comparing one jar to another for quality. Some homemade marinara sauce was calling your name and you wanted to get the good shit.</p><p>"Bitch... what do you think you're doing here?"</p><p>Stunned, you turned around and saw Jeffrey standing behind you. You gave him a diva's glare before smiling. "Umm, biiiitch. I live in this neighborhood. What are you doing here?" you playfully replied back.</p><p>Jeffrey leaned over to lightly kiss your cheek. "I'm headed to some lame-ass engagement party and they actually asked their guest to bring an appetizer," he scoffed. "Can you believe that shit? Like... who the hell do they think I am? Martha fucking Stewart?"</p><p>You chuckled at his predicament. "Well, I can't relate, I love to make stuff so that actually sounds fun to me." you put the jar of tomatoes in your basket as you began walking down the aisle while Jeffrey followed you.</p><p>"Ooooh right... You ARE Martha fucking Stewart." he rolled his eyes. "Okay, well what should I bring then? It needs to travel well and be literally effortless on my part."</p><p>You approached the cheese counter and motioned with your hand. "Any of this could work," you suggested. "Most people like cheese."</p><p>Jeffrey nodded, picking through the selections trying to find something fancy yet inexpensive. "So how are things with daddy going?" he asked, not looking up from the cheese he was studying.</p><p>You rolled your eyes and sighed. "God, please don't call him that," you turned away, on the hunt for some parmesan. "Things are...you know. Whatever." you gestured fluidly with your hands.</p><p>"Uh oh," Jeffrey put the cheese down and looked at you. "Trouble in paradise already?"</p><p>You didn't want to share any details so you just kept things general. "We... or I ...just need some time away from him."</p><p>"Ew," he sneered.</p><p>"What?" you said, snapping your head around to face him.</p><p>Jeffrey raised his brow at you, giving you a knowing look. "You silly bitch," he took a step forward, pointing his cheese at you. "You're falling for him, aren't you?"</p><p>You scoffed and laughed out loud. "Are you high?! I am not. You're..." you shook your head at his crazy insinuation, unable to even finish your sentence.</p><p>He narrowed his eyes at you.</p><p>"If he's just your fuck buddy, then what's there to take a break from? Mind-blowing orgasms?" he added.</p><p>Irritated with his accusation, you took a step closer to him. "Because I'm not on this Earth to just fuck Charlie Barber. I have a life," you challenged him.</p><p>Jeffrey stared at you still skeptical, searching your face for the truth.</p><p>You grabbed a block of cheese and dropped it into his basket. "There. I helped," you said with sass, as you turned and walked away.</p><p>Jeffrey grinned, watching you strut away. He had never seen you with so much confidence and he knew this thing with Charlie was bringing out your inner queen mentality.</p><p>___________________________________________________________________________</p><p>You planned on seeing Scarlett later that night around 8 PM for dinner and drinks, knowing she would probably want to go dancing, too, which you of course were down for doing. But until then, you had the urge to cook since you still had a few hours to kill.</p><p>The aroma of onions and garlic filled your apartment as you worked to prepare the homemade sauce. You had some music playing in the background and the knock on the door almost went unnoticed.</p><p>You wiped your hands off on the tea towel as you glanced through the peephole.</p><p>Once again, you saw Charlie at your door, unannounced.</p><p>You hadn't called him. Hell, it had barely been twenty four hours since you last saw him standing where you were now. Opening the door, he moved his gaze from the floor to you.</p><p>"Hey," he said casually.</p><p>"Hi...," you said, raising your brows at him and leaning on the door. "Can I help you?"</p><p>Charlie's face tensed. "Uh, yeah..." he almost looked in pain. "Nicole's flight got delayed so Henry won't be here until later tonight. Possibility tomorrow. Can I come in?" he said, almost rambling.</p><p>"Um, sure," you said, stepping to the side. "I do have plans in a few hours, though." you closed the door behind him as he stood in the middle of the apartment glancing around, looking lost.</p><p>"Of course you do," he nodded, giving you a dejected grin. "Are you making dinner for someone?"</p><p>"No," you replied, meeting his gaze. "Just felt like cooking."</p><p>He smiled. "Smells great."</p><p>You smiled back and gestured to the apartment. "Make yourself at home. I need to get handsy with some tomatoes," you turned back to the counter, opening a jar of tomatoes. "Would you like some water or wine?"</p><p>"Wine would be good," he said, looking around and noticing a bottle sitting on a shelf. He grabbed it and danced around you looking for a glass.</p><p>"Up there," you nodded to a cabinet next to your head as you began squeezing the tomatoes with your hands in a bowl.</p><p>Charlie poured himself a glass of red wine and began sipping on it as he watched you work.</p><p>"Need some help?"</p><p>You glanced over your shoulder at him and grinned. "No thank you." The mere thought of Charlie's large hands squeezing tomatoes, the juices running over his veins and fingers was enough to drive heat straight to your core.</p><p>Charlie scanned you up and down, biting his lip. You were so sexy like this, he thought to himself. Just like when he saw you in his kitchen making breakfast. For the past day, he paced his apartment, trying to find things to do as he waited for you to call and wondered why you hadn't. Once he found out Henry would be delayed, he was done waiting for you and took matters into his own hands. It never crossed his mind that it had only been one day. To him, it seemed like weeks.</p><p>You felt his eyes burning into you from behind as you prepared the ingredients. Once again, you felt uncomfortable in your own apartment. No matter where you were, if Charlie was present it always felt like he owned the place even if he didn't have any claim to it. You remembered how he barged in yesterday and interrupted you and Scarlett, no apology, no explanation.</p><p>"You never told me how you got a key to my place," you mentioned, walking over to wash your hands in the sink.</p><p>Charlie strolled over to the chair and sat down. "You have a key to my place, so I have a key to yours."</p><p>You dried your hands off, giving him a confused look. "Key? You mean your door code?"</p><p>Charlie nodded and took a drink of wine while keeping his eyes locked on you.</p><p>"You know, that's usually a conversation people have together. Exchanging keys is a big deal. You can't just take what you want." You said scornfully.</p><p>He grinned at you. "Can't I?"</p><p>You walked over to him leisurely. "No...you should have asked permission." You glared down at him, sitting so comfortably in your chair.</p><p>He looked up at you, reaching out to stroke the side of your thigh, giving you a sinful grin. "I'm sorry."</p><p>He put his wine glass down on the window ledge and moved his other hand to caress you.</p><p>"Why do I get the feeling you like apologizing," you asked, looking down at him while his hands roamed your body.</p><p>"I'm sorry..." he repeated, pulling you closer to him in between his parted legs. He buried his face into your belly over your clothing and kissed your stomach.</p><p>You pulled away, feeling strange to be touched like that, there, of all places.</p><p>He furrowed his brow at you. "You okay?"</p><p>You cleared your throat. "Yeah, I just need to finish this," you said, turning away and walking back to the stove.</p><p>Charlie was unsure of why you retracted away from his touch so abruptly but it made him feel rejected. The last person to reject him was his ex-wife. Maybe coming over was a mistake.</p><p>He stood from the chair and looked at his watch. "I should go. May I use your restroom?"</p><p>You nodded in agreement while stirring the sauce and trying to remain casual.</p><p>Needless to say, your little Charlie detox wasn't going well. He clearly didn't have boundaries and you worried about giving in to temptation. It was like you forgot all reason when you were around him. Completely engrossed in his eyes, his lips, his hair, his hands....fuck! He was impossible to resist. Your brain was paralyzed around him, drunk on lust.</p><p>You heard his footsteps behind you, walking out of the bathroom and stopping close by. You waited for him to say 'goodbye' or 'call me later' but he stayed silent. He was probably waiting for you turn around and face him but if you did, you'd fall into the trap and end up fucking him.</p><p>Your focus on stirring the sauce was disrupted when you saw him place the pregnancy test box on the counter. Eyes peering over at it, your heart stopped as did your stirring.</p><p>There was still one test left which is why you kept the box in your medicine cabinet. The fucker went through your bathroom. No goddamn boundaries with this guy.</p><p>"What's this?" he asked, leaning against the counter.</p><p>"Did you go through my stuff?" you scoffed.</p><p>"What's this?" he asked again, insisting you answer him first.</p><p>You sighed deeply. "What does it look like..."</p><p>His face softened as he crossed his arms. "Are you pregnant?" he asked in a low voice.</p><p>You walked a few steps away, needing to create space since you felt suffocated. "I don't know for sure yet."</p><p>Charlie picked up the box and examined it, noticing that one test was gone after realizing there had been two in the box.</p><p>"Was it positive?"</p><p>You looked at him with apologetic eyes. "Charlie..."</p><p>He said your name with sadness in his tone. Yesterday you both promised to be honest with each other going forward. That was the most important rule.</p><p>You looked down to the floor and swallowed. "It could be wrong. It's happened to me before."</p><p>Charlie watched you struggle to say the words. He looked at the box again in his hands and pulled the other test out. He handed it to you.</p><p>"Show me."</p><p>You looked up at him with bloodshot eyes and fear in your face.</p><p>"Please..." he begged.</p><p>You took the test from him and looked at it for a moment before turning around and walking into the bathroom. You heard his footsteps following you.</p><p>"Are you watching me do this?" you looked at him like he was nuts.</p><p>"Yes."</p><p>Letting out a deep exhale while you shook your head in embarrassment, you ripped open the test and undid your pants. Sitting down on the toilet, you positioned the test under you, rolling your eyes at the fact you were on display for this part. Charlie stood in the doorway, watching patiently as he put his hands in his pockets.</p><p>Once finished you placed the cap back on the test and laid it on the vanity. Charlie immediately leaned over to look at it while it processed.</p><p>"It takes about three minutes," you said, flushing the toilet and nudging him so you could wash your hands. He stepped back and let you have some space.</p><p>You exited the bathroom, walking past him and sitting on the edge of the bed, just like you did before.</p><p>"Listen... whatever the outcome is, I just need you to know that I'm not ready to be someone's mother," you explained, eyes dancing all over the place, too nervous to look at him. "This just isn't what I pictured for myself. And I'm sure it's not what you pictured for yourself, either." you finally looked at him, searching for empathy.</p><p>Charlie leaned his back up against the wall, needing to find stability, and looked down at the floor. After a few seconds, he quietly nodded in agreement. You could see his face change as he appeared to be holding back tears. The sight of him getting emotional in front of you made your heart ache as tears began to sting your eyes.</p><p>You both stayed that way, silent tears in your eyes, staring at the floor in mutual agreement that this wasn't going to be the future for either of you.</p><p>Charlie gazed up with wet eyes and looked at the clock by your bed. He swallowed and took a deep breath, turning around and looking at the test.</p><p>Years ago when his ex-wife took her test and it read positive, Charlie was excited. In his mind, Henry was his greatest achievement. Being a father came naturally to him and he wouldn't have traded it for anything. He loved being a dad.</p><p>But this was different. He was so torn when he saw the result, feeling an insurmountable amount of guilt, sorrow, and anguish. Under any other circumstance, he would have wrapped his arms around you, heart full, smiling uncontrollably, and feeling on top of the world.</p><p>But it wasn't what you wanted. And he understood why.</p><p>He carried the test in his hand and walked over towards you. Charlie held it out and you weren't sure if you could stomach seeing it again. Without taking it from him, you quickly glanced at it long enough to see the same result as before.</p><p>You stood up quickly and wiped your eyes, sighing. "Okay." you had no other words since there was nothing left to say. You knew what you had to do and it was breaking your heart.</p><p>Charlie pulled you into a warm embrace. It took you by surprise, as you expected him to be upset or angry or...something else other than so nurturing.</p><p>With your face pressed to his chest, you spoke in a muffled voice. "I have an appointment with my doctor in two weeks."</p><p>He pulled back, looking down at you. "That's a long time to wait."</p><p>"Yeah, I know. But they require it."</p><p>He shook his head. "No. I can take you to my clinic. Waiting two weeks is going to be hell for you," he paused. "And for me."</p><p>You looked up at him. "Your clinic...has that kind of thing?"</p><p>He smirked. "They have everything. Even a maternity unit for people with breeding kinks."</p><p>You chuckled along with him. "Jesus."</p><p>There was a brief silence between you both.</p><p>"When do you want to go?" he asked.</p><p>You shrugged, knowing Charlie would have to take you. "Whenever your schedule allows it. I know you have Henry for the next few days."</p><p>He nodded.</p><p>"Can you wait a few days?" he asked with concern.</p><p>"Yeah, it's no problem," you assured him.</p><p>You both released the hug and you walked back over to attend to the sauce that was on a slow simmer.</p><p>"Who do you have plans with tonight?" you heard him ask from behind you.</p><p>You smirked. "Your favorite person."</p><p>He was quiet but you could tell the air in the room shifted. You wondered what it was about Scarlett that made him so jealous. It wasn't like it was another dominant man fighting for your affection. Maybe that was the problem; she was a gorgeous woman who was charming, carefree and he just couldn't compete with her.</p><p>You heard him grab his jacket and walk towards the door.</p><p>"Call me tomorrow." his tone had turned dark.</p><p>It wasn't a request, it was an order.</p><p>He opened the door and closed it before you even answered him.</p><p>Your heart sank. Seeing the second test made it all feel real and you had been avoiding it for that exact reason. You called Scarlett to reschedule your plans that night, feeling almost too ill to go out. She, of course, understood given your predicament.</p><p>You spent the evening researching what to expect when you're expecting...an abortion. You had zero experience in this and couldn't lean on a female friend for advice since it was such a controversial subject. The information online was terrifying and you worried how you would recover mentally and physically.</p><p>The thought of adoption then entered your mind. Maybe that was a better route for everyone. Or was it? It wasn't a decision you could make alone, you needed to know how Charlie felt about it, too. It was something you'd have to decide on together.</p><p>You put away your laptop and fell asleep on your oversized king bed curled up in a ball.</p><p> </p><p>Morning came quickly and you stayed in bed. The amount of stress hadn't escaped you overnight. In fact, it grew to twice its size and you didn't even want to get out of bed. You catnapped the morning away, into the afternoon, only getting up to pee and grab a few bites of leftover pasta.</p><p>By the late afternoon, the sound of your phone buzzing from your nightstand woke you. You reached for it, rubbing your eyes. It was Charlie.</p><p>"Hello?" you answered with a broken and groggy voice.</p><p>"Did I wake you?" he asked, sounding surprised to hear you just waking up as he glanced at his watch.</p><p>You cleared your throat. "No... I mean, yeah. I've just been resting."</p><p>"Are you hungover?" his tone was accusatory. He didn't like the idea of you going out with Scarlett on any normal day but certainly didn't approve of you getting drunk while pregnant. No matter what the ultimate decision would be in the end.</p><p>"What?" you jeered. "No, I'm not. I didn't go out."</p><p>Charlie quietly sighed in relief and grinned. "Good girl."</p><p>You hummed in agreement while burying your face into your pillow. He could sense your mental strain and knew the next few days were going to be torturous.</p><p>"Christmas Eve is tomorrow. Do you have plans?" he asked as you lifted your face from the pillow and rubbed your forehead.</p><p>"Um. Yeah, I'm going to Jersey to see my family tomorrow night. I'll be back Christmas night."</p><p>Charlie nodded. "Okay." he paused. "Come stay with me tonight."</p><p>You squinted your eyes. "Don't you have Henry?"</p><p>He glanced over to Henry who was busy coloring at the kitchen table. "Yeah, but he'd love the extra company. So would I."</p><p>You agreed considering staying in bed for forty eight hours was probably a bad idea for your mental state.</p><p>Stepping onto Charlie's porch, you took a deep breath before ringing the bell. You held a brown paper bag that contained a new box of Lego bandaids, totally prepared to make a good first impression.</p><p>Henry answered the door, looking almost all grown up from the pictures you remembered seeing on Charlie's wall.</p><p>"Hi," Henry said. "Are you my babysitter?"</p><p>You smiled back at him. "Why, do you need a babysitter?"</p><p>"I don't think so. My dad thinks I do." He answered back as Charlie approached from behind him.</p><p>"That's because you're only ten, and ten-year-olds need babysitters to make sure they don't do anything crazy like leave the fridge open." Charlie gestured to the kitchen and Henry sprinted back inside to close the refrigerator door.</p><p>He held the front door open while you stepped inside. You noticed a beautiful Christmas tree in the living room, sparkling with colorful lights and trinkets hanging from it. It made you smile knowing that Charlie went out into the cold, picked out a tree, and put it up in preparation for his son's arrival.</p><p>"Oh wow, that's really nice."</p><p>Charlie looked at the tree then back at you. "Thanks. Henry helped decorate it."</p><p>Henry ran back into the living room and started showing off his favorite ornaments and explaining why they were superior. You sat on the sofa and Charlie sat beside you as you both listened to Henry ramble on.</p><p>He paused, noticing the bag in your hand. "What's that?"</p><p>You held the bag up and handed it to him. "This is actually for you," you said as he took the bag and peeked into it. "Your dad let me use some of your cool band-aids the other day so I wanted to make sure to give back what I took."</p><p>Charlie smiled at the unexpected thoughtfulness. Leaning over he whispered, "You'd make a great babysitter."</p><p>You tilted your head and narrowed your eyes at him. "You couldn't afford me, daddy," you playfully whispered back.</p><p>"STAR WARS! Dad, look!! She got the Lego ones with Star Wars!"</p><p>Charlie's attention was stolen from you as he gave Henry a look of surprise. "Wow... those are hard to find, aren't they?" He looked at the box that Henry shoved in his face. "What do you say?"</p><p>"Thank you," Henry said quietly, looking down at the box before looking back at you. "Are you my dad's girlfriend?"</p><p>You couldn't contain the smile on your face but you tried to conceal it as you looked at Charlie for guidance. He appeared to also be hiding a smile.</p><p>"Why don't you go put those upstairs in your room so they stay safe?" Charlie dodged the awkward question flawlessly as Henry sprinted upstairs.</p><p>It was just the two of you on the couch sitting in silence as the noise of the TV played in the background. Charlie's apartment which was once your sex den was now filled with Christmas lights, the sounds of small feet running, and laughter. You had never seen Charlie in his other life before, playing the role of Dad (as opposed to daddy). You already felt like you knew him better.</p><p>"He looks much older than in the pictures," you broke the silence, pointing to the frames on the hallway wall.</p><p>"Oh, yeah. I haven't had a chance to take any recent ones. It's hard when we're apart so much now." He said with a sullen tone.</p><p>You nodded as Henry sprinted back down the stairs and collapsed on the couch next to you with his iPad in hand.</p><p>"You wanna watch this with me?" He pulled up some random video on Youtube of kids working on science experiments.</p><p>"Sure," you replied, leaning back and resting against the couch with him.</p><p>Charlie gazed at the two of you and grinned. Not that it surprised him how well Henry warmed up to you, he knew he would, but he loved how well you warmed up to Henry. It was like the two of you already knew each other and it made his heart swell.</p><p>"Well I should start some dinner," Charlie said standing up as you and Henry paid no mind to him, completely engrossed in the show you were watching.</p><p>Charlie shook his head in amusement and proceeded into the kitchen.</p><p>A glass of wine, more awkward questions and a hot meal later, you offered to do the dishes as a thank you. Once alone in the kitchen, you realized in the middle of loading the dishwasher that you were practically playing house with Charlie, as if it was some kind of trial run.</p><p>The reality sent chills down your spine, as you were still wrapping your head around what you were planning to do. You wish there was a clear answer or that someone could make the decision for you so you wouldn't have to deal with feeling guilty over anything.</p><p>Once you started the dishwasher and dried your hands off, you walked out towards the living room.</p><p>Charlie had his arm around Henry as Henry read from a book sitting in both their laps. Anytime a word came up that Henry couldn't pronounce correctly, Charlie would teach him the vernacular.</p><p>It was such a sweet moment, both of them cuddled into one another, sharing wisdom and gentleness. They were in their own little world and Charlie didn't realize you were watching from the hallway, so you pulled your phone out to snap a candid picture of them. Since he didn't have anything recent, it would be a good one to frame.</p><p>You put your phone back into your pocket and quietly made your way upstairs to Charlie's bedroom, not wanting to disrupt them. His room was just as you remembered it from days ago, tidy yet welcoming, clean yet smelled of his scent.</p><p>His dresser mirror had been completely removed but that was the only thing that looked different. You looked down at the floor where the broken glass had been, making note that everything, even the blood droplets had been cleaned.</p><p>No trace of anything was left. Like it never happened.</p><p>You sat on the edge of the bed and glanced into his bathroom. You wondered if that fucking bag was still under his sink. Before you could consider it more, sickness came out of nowhere. You bolted into the bathroom, shutting the door behind you and falling to your knees in front of the toilet.</p><p>So much for having dinner.</p><p>Your stomach cramped and you felt pain in your lower back. Grabbing your stomach you sat on the floor and rocked back and forth to comfort yourself. The suffering of pregnancy was no joke.</p><p>You knew there was morning sickness but the pain took you by surprise.</p><p>You lifted yourself off the floor and just as you stood up another sharp pain penetrated through your body. You clutched the edge of the vanity and leaned over in agony. The pain practically took your breath away.</p><p>Then, as sure as ever, you felt it.</p><p>Your period. Or something just like it times a hundred.</p><p>Heat spread all over your body and you began sweating. You turned the faucet on and splashed cold water onto your face.</p><p>Another sharp pain blasted through you as you muffled your cry with your hand.</p><p>____________________________________________________________________________</p><p>Charlie finished the book with Henry when he instructed him to go upstairs and get ready for bed. He walked down the hall and peeked into the empty kitchen as he scanned the place looking for you.</p><p>He followed Henry up the stairs.</p><p>"Don't forget to brush your teeth." He said to him before walking into his bedroom. Taking notice that his bathroom room door was closed, he figured you just needed privacy.</p><p>Before he turned to leave the bedroom, he heard what sounded like sobbing coming from behind the bathroom door. Concerned, he approached it and knocked softly.</p><p>"Everything alright?"</p><p>A muffled noise followed by, "Yeah. I'm okay." and then the sound of you sniffling made him think otherwise.</p><p>"Hey, Dad, can I watch a movie?" Henry's voice echoed from his bedroom.</p><p>Charlie, not wanting to redirect his attention off of you shouted back in agreement.</p><p>He stared at the closed door, listening for any other sign of life from you. He heard the shower turn on.</p><p>Stepping away to give you time, he sat down in his reading chair and opened a book. Not that he could even focus on anything else at the moment, but he tried to read the words on the pages until you were ready to come out and talk to him about what was bothering you.</p><p>Twenty minutes passed and he changed out of his clothes and into some pajamas; a white v-neck t-shirt and shorts. He sat on the edge of the bed and stared at the bathroom door, feeling impatient.</p><p>He didn't like waiting.</p><p>He made sure Henry was watching his movie before he closed the bedroom door.  Walking back to the bathroom door, he softly knocked again. There was no answer this time.</p><p>He twisted the knob and let the door slowly open.</p><p>A cloud of steam from the shower blew over him and into the bedroom. Once he could see, he saw you through the glass doors of the shower, sitting on the tile floor, rocking back and forth hugging your knees into your body and resting your head on your arms.</p><p>Upon opening the shower door he saw the blood under you, swirling with the running water down the drain.</p><p>His heart tore open from grief. He knew what this was and it broke him to see you suffering.</p><p>Stepping into the shower and kneeling down next to you, he placed his hand on your bare back.</p><p>"Hey," he said softly as the water continued to descend upon you, washing it all away. You looked up at him with puffy eyes, chin trembling uncontrollably. He wrapped both arms around you, letting the water drench his pajamas as he held you close.</p><p>Even though fate decided for you so you wouldn't have to, you still mourned the loss of something that would've never been.</p><p> </p><p>Together.</p><p> </p><p>A/N: I know, right? I ugly cried, too. Now go watch something funny and I'll go write more porn for us. xo-Nicole</p>
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<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Isabel Porter</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Charlie took the elevator up to the top floor and was greeted by an assistant who walked him over to the massive mahogany double doors that opened into an expansive office.</p><p>Natural light from the floor to ceiling windows illuminated the otherwise dark room full of mahogany and leather furniture. Charlie proceeded across the office, as he had done many times before, and greeted the beautiful woman who was waiting.</p><p>"Isabel," he said, before placing his lips on her rose-colored cheek.</p><p>"Charlie," she said, closing her eyes momentarily as he kissed her. "Have a seat," she instructed as Charlie turned to sit down in a plush leather chair across the large mahogany desk. "Care for a drink?" she asked, motioning to her assistant who was already wheeling in a beverage cart full of variety. </p><p>"Just a coffee for me," Charlie said, looking over to the assistant and smiling as she prepared a cup and handed it to him.</p><p>Isabel Porter was the sole owner of the building, as well as everything that happened inside of it. Her late husband, who was 30 years her senior, left the real estate property to her in his will giving her control to do whatever she wanted with it. Five years ago she opened The Red Room, having been a dominatrix for many years before and during her marriage. She always aspired to create such an exclusive environment and once her husband passed away, she had the money and resources to make it happen. It paid off and within five years, she had expanded the membership benefits by adding the clinic. </p><p>The club guarantees confidentiality within its membership contracts which means that Isabel has seen everyone from top lawyers, actors, and political figures walk through her doors. She was, without a doubt, one of the most powerful and richest women in the city. She held everyone's secrets in the palm of her hand and although she was contractually obligated by the law to keep quiet, there was an unspoken air of respect and loyalty that she demanded from her clients and employees in return.</p><p>Isabel sipped on her mimosa and leaned back into her overly large executive chair. "I'm sure you know why I've called you in today," she began, peeking over the glass at Charlie sitting across from her. "You've missed the last two weeks, Charlie." she continued. "And the last time you did perform, you abandoned Anna in a room full of clients. Clients who pay good money to watch and learn."</p><p>Charlie swallowed and nodded. "I apologize for being negligent," he took a deep breath. "It won't happen again."</p><p>Isabel stared at Charlie sternly for a moment, considering his apology before standing up and walking over towards him. She leaned against the front of her desk and crossed her arms, only feet apart from him. </p><p>"You're different, Charlie."</p><p>She peered down at him but he kept his gaze forward, not wanting to make eye contact. </p><p>"I'm not... different, Isabel," he said, gesturing with his hands. "It's me. I just fucked up. I've been busy with the play and my son came into town. I had a lot going on and I missed a few shows. It's fine." he said, trying to rationalize. </p><p>Isabel didn't move her stance, appearing skeptical. She reached over to pull Charlie's chin up to meet her gaze.</p><p>"It's not fine unless I say it's fine," her tone became dark.  </p><p>"Six months ago, you signed a two-year contract to perform weekly. I trained you. I made you who you are. And I pay you... very well, might I add. The comfortable life you live today wouldn't exist without me."</p><p>Charlie's jaw tensed as Isabel reminded him of what he already knew. </p><p>"Yes," he agreed. "But as I said, it won't happen again."</p><p>Isabel grinned at him, recalling the last time she did see Charlie. He was with you and she sensed a bit of jealousy when you made eye contact with her. </p><p>"Who is she?"</p><p>Charlie furrowed his brow. "Who is who?"</p><p>"The girl," she tilted her head to the side with curiosity. "The one I saw you with downstairs."</p><p>Feeling protective of you, he kept things casual. "She's no one. Just someone I met at a bar."</p><p>Isabel nodded, looking down to her feet then back up at Charlie. She knew that Charlie had made an appointment under his name at the clinic for a pregnancy consultation. An appointment that he ended up canceling without explanation. Although she didn't mind what or who her employees fraternized with, she did feel a sense of ownership over Charlie. Everything he knew about being a dominant was Isabel's doing. They had a brief affair in which Isabel would become a submissive just for him so she could bask in the enjoyment of what she had created. But they hadn’t  slept together in a least a month. </p><p>"Okay, Charlie," she replied, not at all believing him. "Just make sure it stays that way." She gestured to the door as she moved off the desk and walked back to her chair, dismissing him.</p><p>Charlie wasn't as intimidated by Isabel like everyone else. He viewed her as a person who taught him how to be who is in the bedroom, but it stopped there. The only power she had over him now was his money, which he had come to rely on to not only provide him with the kind of lifestyle he enjoyed but also made it possible for Henry to attend a top-rated private school and paid for any extracurriculars he wanted. </p><p>His contract was written in a way that allowed some flexibility with his schedule but required him to perform at least two shows a week, demonstrating proper dominant techniques on submissives. He never had sex on stage like some of his peers, but he was well-known for bringing submissives to climax using his hands or other tools in order to showcase different methods. </p><p>When he originally signed the agreement, he saw it as a win-win. He loved the lifestyle and Isabel was offering him a generous salary to teach it in a safe environment. He never anticipated finding an emotional connection with anyone since this was more of a job for him. </p><p>But then he met you.</p><p>Charlie hadn't slept with anyone else since the night you ran into him on his date. A date that he never would've arranged if he wasn't desperately trying to get you off his mind. Even though he made you and everyone else believe that nothing about his habits had changed, they clearly had. The enjoyment that used to keep him engaged with the club and the people involved with it all started to blur when you came into the picture. He only felt alive when he was with you. But he also felt vulnerable which made him uncomfortable and weak in your presence. He wasn't ready to admit any of this to himself, let alone you. </p><p>But now that he had to keep up the facade in the face of Isabel, he needed to make sure he wouldn't lose you. She held the power to make his life hell if he didn't fulfill his agreement. </p><p>_________________________________________________________________________</p><p>It took a few days for your body to recover from the miscarriage. Charlie had taken care of you the night it happened at his place by giving you some of the pain medication left over from his hand injury in order to subdue the cramping long enough for you to get the rest you needed. He even walked two blocks down the road, in the snow, to the pharmacy to purchase the feminine products that you required but didn't have with you. </p><p>Neither of you spoke of the bonding experience that came as a side effect of that night. You both felt closer to one another, having gone through the emotional torture of everything, but instead of sharing your feelings aloud, you just held each other throughout the night and talked about other things. You asked Charlie questions about Henry and his divorce to which he divulged enough details for you to understand him better. He asked about the details of your past relationships with Ben and Scarlett, chuckling at the story of you hooking up with your college professor. </p><p>It was a welcomed distraction from the trauma of the evening and you both fell asleep in each other's arms, with your head nestled into the nook of his shoulder, as his arm wrapped around you like a blanket. </p><p>It was a Christmas miracle that you even made it to your family's holiday gathering the next day, telling your mom that you were just having your normal time of month cramps and headaches. The excuse worked like a charm as everyone paid no mind to you "not acting like yourself" as your dad put it before your mom smacked him, telling him to leave you alone.</p><p>But Christmas was over and now you were back in your apartment and looking over your work schedule. It was approaching the final week of the play, with closing night falling on New Year's Eve. Looking at your calendar and scanning over the past four weeks, you took a moment to visually see how many days had passed since you and Charlie began your ...relationship?...agreement?...fuck buddy journey?</p><p>Whatever it was, it had completely changed you. Being with Charlie exposed you to parts of yourself that you didn't realize were hiding. If anything, that's what you were taking away from this time with him, however short or long it would be.</p><p>Something else you noticed on your calendar was your upcoming birthday. It was January 1st, New Year's Day, and because everyone partied hard on New Year's Eve, it was always a duel celebration for you. And now, it would be thrice the reason; closing night, NYE, and turning 28. </p><p>It had been a week since you last saw Charlie. You guys were staying in contact via texts but you began to feel like he was keeping his distance because of the miscarriage. You wondered if it changed his intentions with you. Maybe things had gone too far for him. </p><p>You'd see him tonight at the show so you mentally prepared for yourself for anything. Even though you didn't want things to end, you needed to be ready in case he felt otherwise. </p><p>Arriving at the theater on time, you began getting dressed and setting up your supplies on the vanity along with your castmates.</p><p>"Ugh! It's crazy that this is our last round of shows. I'm not ready for it to be over." Sam said, tossing his makeup brushes onto the vanity before plopping down in the chair.</p><p>"Yeah, it's gone by fast, for sure," you said, hardly paying attention to him as your mind was on Charlie and when he'd show up.</p><p>"I just hope Charlie considers me for future plays. I feel like he doesn't like me or something. Which is bullshit if true because I am an amazing actor to work with..." Sam continued on his rant. "I suppose you have nothing to worry about."</p><p>You snapped your attention to him. "What's that supposed to mean?"</p><p>Sam rolled his eyes. "Oh, c'mon. After that outburst that we all saw? It's obvious that you guys are together. You don't have to play dumb anymore."</p><p>You sighed deeply, throwing shade right back at him. "Whatever. It's no one's business but mine. And, for your information, Charlie isn't doing anything special for me. I'll rise up without him, on my own."</p><p>Sam's expression shifted to a mischievous look and you noticed his attention was drawn behind you. Turning around, you saw Charlie standing, jaw tensed.</p><p>"Hi," he said, looking daunted.</p><p>"Hey..." you replied in a much higher-pitched tone than you anticipated. </p><p>"Stick around after the show, I have some notes for you," he said in a deep tone before turning and walking out.</p><p>Notes, huh? Okay, sure, we can call it that. </p><p>The house was full that night and everyone gave the cast a standing ovation at curtain call. Just as you and your castmates started pulling off flawless shows, it was almost time to wrap up the production. Funny how that always tends to happen.</p><p>You took your time changing back into your street clothes and removing your makeup, knowing Charlie would eventually come to get you once he was done chatting with some of the house guests.</p><p>Finally, the dressing room cleared out and was empty with the exception of you, sitting alone, mindlessly scrolling through your phone. You hardly noticed how the voices echoing from the stage area began to fade away because you were so enthralled in your Instagram, taking note of Scarlett's recent posts showing her out with friends. Wait, were they friends? She seemed especially close to one woman in particular who appeared to have her hand on Scarlett's upper thigh as they smiled at each other. You brought your phone closer to your face as you narrowed your eyes on the photo, exploring all the little details. Jealousy spread through your veins.</p><p>"Hey."</p><p>His low voice filled the room and your body jolted back to reality.</p><p>"Oh, hey... you scared me," you exhaled, hand over your chest.</p><p>Charlie walked in, closing the door behind him, face and demeanor looking much more relaxed than before. He sat next to you on the sofa and pulled something out of the inner chest pocket of his jacket, holding the small black box with both hands, arms resting on his knees.</p><p>"You did wonderful tonight," he said, with the utmost genuine tone. "I was just talking with another director who came to watch the show and he specifically asked about you. He's got something in the works so I wouldn't be surprised if he reaches out," he said with a slight grin. </p><p>"Really? Wow. That's great to hear," you said, gaze moving to the square box he was holding, watching his thumbs graze over the top of it. </p><p>"What's that?" you asked, nodding to the box as he looked at you.</p><p>Charlie swallowed as he fiddled with it in his hands. "Listen, I know last week was rough. I'm sorry I haven't been around." he bit his lip nervously. </p><p>You shrugged. "No need to apologize. You shouldn't feel obligated to do anything," you said, trying to keep things neutral. </p><p>"I never feel obligated when it comes to you," he quickly corrected you, still fiddling with the box. "Some things came up that stole my time. Time that I wanted to spend with you. To take care of you."</p><p>He shifted in his seat, feeling the vulnerability that he despised so much over-power him. He handed the box to you and you slowly took it from his grasp.</p><p>He stayed silent as you opened it. There was a small, black leather roped bracelet with what looked like a red key card under it. Pulling the bracelet up to examine it, you looked over at Charlie.</p><p>"Is this jewelry?" you smirked, unsure of its purpose. Upon further inspection, you noticed that the metal clasped was engraved with: C.B. You frowned, "I don't get it."</p><p>Charlie gave you a half-grin as he sat back on the sofa. "I'd like to propose something. It's something I've not done with anyone else or even considered doing with anyone else." He explained, taking the bracelet from you and unclasping it. "I want to own you." he held out the unclasped bracelet, waiting for you to place your wrist out so he could put it on you. </p><p>"Own me?" you replied in shock as if he was joking. "What does that mean?"</p><p>He reached over to place the bracelet against your wrist and secure the clasp. It was reminiscent of the black rope he used to tie you up with but much more fashionable, of course. </p><p>"It means that everything is still the same, but you're mine. And only mine."</p><p>Your heart dropped, feeling torn between wanting him and wanting your freedom. </p><p>"So, I can't see Scarlett? Or anyone else?" you asked, trying to understand what's allowed and not allowed in his interpretation of this proposal. You weren't exactly on board with any of it but wanted to hear him out. </p><p>"Not without my permission," he added while picking up the red key card from the box you were holding. "This allows you access to the club under my membership. You'd come as my property."</p><p>You smirked. "Your property?" shaking your head, studying the bracelet he placed on your wrist. "And what exactly do I get out of this arrangement?"</p><p>Charlie's jaw tensed as his hand that was resting on your leg started trailing up your thigh. </p><p>"You get me."</p><p>So basically he wanted full control over your love life while he continued doing whatever he wanted? What a narcissist, you thought to yourself. </p><p>If you were going to be expected to give him this level of loyalty, he should be held to the same standard. Also, you weren't ready to give up Scarlett. He would have to give you permission to see her which you knew he would never grant.</p><p>There was a long silence as you pondered how to respond. Meanwhile, his hand had roamed up your dress, teasingly hooking a finger under the waistband of your panties. The nerve of him thinking that he would seduce you into whatever he wanted set your confidence into motion.</p><p>Pulling his hand away from under your dress, you quickly straddled him and pinned his wrists down by his side on the couch. He flinched slightly at the unexpected move you made on him but he didn't resist it.</p><p>Locking eyes with him, you squeezed his wrists. "I want more than that."</p><p>Charlie raised his chin up, studying you with a hooded eye. "Like what?"</p><p>Pulling his hands up to rest on your thighs, you released him, letting him touch you freely as your hands moved between your legs to unbuckle his belt. It was your turn to seduce him into something on your own agenda.</p><p>"I want you to give me control," you said, moving to unzip his pants.</p><p>Charlie's gaze moved up your legs to your waist as he ran his hands up and down your bare thighs, breathing heavily watching you slowly undo his pants. "Okay..." he agreed, mindlessly, drinking in the sight of you.</p><p>You reached in, immediately finding his hard cock and enclosing your hand around it. He hissed in response, unable to recall the last time you touched him like this.</p><p> "We can pretend that I'm your sub if that makes you feel like a man," you said, drawing his cock out and stroking it lazily.</p><p>He exhaled deeply, letting his head fall backward, focused on the overdue sensation of you stroking him. "Okay..." he agreed again.</p><p>You moved your lips to his neck and softly kissed him. You felt his pulse radiating through his veins. </p><p>"But you know as well as I do, that you're my bitch," your words vibrated into his neck as his breath picked up even more following the movement of your stroking. "Isn't that right?" you asked.</p><p>Charlie moaned, head still tilted back, eyes closed.</p><p>You stroked him faster, tugging his hair with your other hand and turning his head to the side, giving you access to his earlobe. "C'mon, say it. Out loud," you whispered in his ear.</p><p>He growled, both hands moving to your ass and squeezing. </p><p>"You want this pussy, daddy?" you taunted, tracing his earlobe with your tongue and feeling his whole body tense under you.</p><p>"Yes..." he said, inhaling sharply.</p><p>"Then say it," you demanded again.</p><p>Charlie struggled, breathing raggedly through parted lips as his fingers dug into your ass cheeks.</p><p>"I'm your bitch," he declared through gritted teeth.</p><p>You made a sound of approval as you grinned in delight, hearing him say the words.</p><p>"That's a good puppy," you praised him, pulling his head back to meet your gaze and running your tongue over his full lips. You moved off of him and stood up from the couch, looking down at a mostly disheveled man who was putty in your palms. </p><p>You lifted your dress and began to slide your panties down your legs.</p><p>"You can own me if that's what you want. But I'll own you, too," you negotiated, stepping out of your underwear. "And if I want to fuck Scarlett... I will..." you bunched the panties up in your hand, straddling him again and stuffing them into his mouth. "...and you'll watch me do it."</p><p>Leaning over, you let a trail of spit leave your mouth and fall onto the tip of his swollen cock, mixing with his pre-cum and dripping down his shaft. He was in awe watching you take full authority over him. </p><p>You slide your hand over his cock to coat it before lifting up and sitting down slowly onto his lap, feeling yourself contract around the thickness of him inside you. </p><p>He moaned into the fabric hanging from his mouth, eyes intensely focused on your face. Both of your hands found the sides of his head, curling your fingers in the locks of his hair and squeezing as your hips remained motionless on him, only contracting your walls to match his throbbing inside you.</p><p>"This is the last time you'll feel me without a condom," you said, milking your walls again but keeping your hips still. </p><p>His hands seized your ass once more as he tried to move his hips upwards in a desperate attempt to create friction. </p><p>"No... bad boy," you scolded, pressing your weight down on him.</p><p>"Do you have what we need?" you asked, wiggling your hips to torment him.</p><p>A growl escaped from his chest before he nodded. Pushing himself back into the sofa, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the golden wrapped condom. You took it from him and began to pull up off of him so you could put it on. He grabbed you by the hips and slammed you back down into his lap, biting onto the fabric of your panties in his mouth and groaning at the sensation. </p><p>You clutched his wrists again and squeezed. "No. You're being a fucking brat," you sneered. "If you want to cum, you'll be a good boy."</p><p>He was practically breathing fire through his nose as you felt him slowly retract his tight grip on your hips, letting you lift off of him fully. You grabbed his cock and rolled the condom down the shaft before slipping him back in. </p><p>The new barrier between skin to skin dulled the sensation that was there seconds before. Charlie eagerly began bucking his hips upwards to create the feeling he was yearning for, needing to feel the real you but settling for what was necessary.</p><p>You rolled your hips into him, trying to match his erratic movements. Grunts and groans filled the room as you both clashed your bodies into each other. You tore the panties from his jaw so that you could kiss him deeply. Tongues dancing wilding in each other's mouth, hot breath being exchanged in between the gasps for air. </p><p>"You're the only one I want," his voice was low and broken in between the ragged breaths as he admitted parts of the vulnerability that was burning inside him. </p><p>You placed your hands on his face, gazing into his eyes. "Good."</p><p>He gazed down, jaw slacked as he watched your bodies meet. He moved his eyes back to you.</p><p>"You're mine," he said, tensing his face. "Tell me you're mine."</p><p>You moaned, throwing your head back as you rocked your hips. "I'm yours."</p><p>His hands moved up your back, fingers digging into your skin. "Tell me you need me."</p><p>You whined, tightening your walls around him. "I need you."</p><p>You didn't bother fighting it anymore. </p><p>He groaned, hearing you admit it so freely this time. "I need you, too," he murmured against your exposed neck, clutching you even tighter to him as you both rode out your orgasms together only minutes later.</p><p>The heated desire to be together was undeniable. This was it, the moment that defined what you were to each other.</p><p>You were his. And he was yours.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Birthday Girl</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A/N: Y'all ready?? This chapter is the biggest debby ryan face ever. Enjoy!</p><p> </p><p>The uproar of the crowd gave you goosebumps, feeling the heat of the stage lights still on you, you grabbed the hands of your castmates and bowed for the last time. Closing night was always so magical. It was notoriously always your best performance, which was a bittersweet feeling having to walk off the stage and readjust your mind to what was next for yourself.</p><p>Everyone gathered in the green room just as you all did on opening night, champagne flutes making their way through the crowd. Charlie found you from across the room and proceeded your way, lifting his glass above the floating bodies as he snaked through the crowd, smiling ear to ear.</p><p>He paused when he saw Ben get to you first.</p><p>"Cheers," Ben said as he clinked his glass against yours. </p><p>You gave him a surprised look and repeated the gesture back as if it was more of a question. You and Ben hadn't spoken since your fight weeks ago but it seemed he was ready to let the past die given his cheery attitude.</p><p>"Listen, I just want you to know that I'm sorry for the way things ended for us. I was a dick to you. And everything you did in response to it was fully deserved. I shouldn't have made you feel bad about any of it." Ben said, finally admitting fault and saying his peace.</p><p>Although you had fallen out of love with Ben long ago, you still appreciated what appeared to be a genuine apology. If anything, you two could walk away from this as affable acquaintances. </p><p>"Thanks," you gave him a small grin, glancing over to Charlie who was still standing in the middle of the crowd engaging in small talk with all of his attention directed on you. </p><p>"So what's on the agenda tonight, birthday girl?" Ben asked, taking a sip of his champagne.</p><p>"Huh? Oh. Um, I'm not sure," you hadn't exactly nailed down birthday plans with anyone, in particular, just assuming you'd be with Charlie as you'd been doing for the past few nights, alternating between his place and your place. Since you both agreed on a new arrangement of being with each other, you had become almost inseparable. It was as if the walls you both built up had been knocked down. Not completely, but you could see through to the other side. You learned something new about each other every day that bonded you even more.</p><p>And the sex? Lord have mercy, the sex had gotten even steamier as if it was even possible. Letting yourselves become emotionally connected during sex made every orgasm feel like an explosion to another domain, where it was just the two of you and nothing else existed. </p><p>Tired of waiting, Charlie finally broke the small talk and approached you and Ben. He gave you a closed mouth smile before averting his eyes to Ben and nodding as he tilted his glass at him before taking a sip, dark eyes locked. From an outsider's perspective, it looked like a kind gesture, but the three of you knew that Charlie was being silently smug, telling him to 'fuck off' with his glare. </p><p>Ben smirked. "Right. Well, Happy Birthday and Happy New Years'," Ben finished his champagne and walked away, leaving you and Charlie staring at each other.</p><p>"What?" you asked, sheepishly.</p><p>"What did he have to say?" Charlie asked, glancing over his shoulder then back at you.</p><p>You chuckled. "He actually apologized for being a dick," you nudged Charlie playfully, "Something you would know nothing about," you teased. </p><p>Charlie reached for your waist and squeezed to casually tickle you, making you giggle even more. "Brat," he smirked. "I'll wipe that smile right off your face, birthday girl."</p><p>"Mmm. Promise?" you hummed, moving closer to him, extending your neck back so you could look up at him. </p><p>The room was still full of people but at this point, the show was over and everyone was already making their own assumptions about your relationship. Charlie had always made it a point to keep things quiet, but tonight he was openly showing you affection which made your heart flutter. He slowly dipped his head down and placed a soft kiss on your champagne covered lips. </p><p>You were sure it stopped some of your castmates mid-sentence as they ogled at the sight of you two being so open about it.  Apart from your wish that Charlie would swoop you up, carry you out of the room and fuck you on stage in front of everyone as a farewell gesture. But that was just the badass bitch in you talking.</p><p>"So I think I heard someone say the cast is meeting up at this bar down the road..." you began to say, offering some suggestions for the evening.</p><p>"We aren't going," Charlie interrupted. "We have reservations."</p><p>"We do?" you said, with a look of surprise. </p><p>He gave you a clever expression, sipping on his champagne. </p><p>Charlie could be so thoughtful when you least expected it. It always came as a shock because normally he was so hyper-focused on his own world and desires.  You paid attention to the small things he would do that required him to go out of his way, even if it meant sacrificing something he wanted in return. You remembered during your chats how his ex-wife always reminded him how selfish he could be. Maybe he was actually trying to do better with you. </p><p>The Uber pulled up to a restaurant at the edge of Brooklyn Heights and the valet opened your door. </p><p>"Good evening, Miss," the young man said in a charming tone, wearing a black suit and a smile. </p><p>"Hi..." you replied, feeling completely out of place. It was a good thing that you packed your red party dress to wear after the show because this place was fancy as hell. It was situated right by the water, overlooking the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan skyline. </p><p>You stood in awe of the view, staring at the sparkling city lights reflecting from the water, until you felt Charlie's hand intertwined with yours. Looking back at him, he was giving you a soft grin as he lightly tugged on your hand to follow him inside. </p><p>He checked in with the host and both of you were led through the dimly lit restaurant, hand in hand. A small, intimate table was positioned near a window that allowed the same amazing view as before, but in the comfort of the warm and welcoming indoors. Charlie pulled your chair out for you and you thanked him before he walked over to take his own seat. </p><p>Glancing at him, you noticed how he was dressed up for tonight. You didn't register it before but he looked extra sleek in his black slacks, black sweater, and navy sports jacket. </p><p>"You look very handsome tonight," you complimented him sweetly before taking a sip of your water.</p><p>Charlie paused, looking at you a moment almost appearing like he was taken aback by the flattery. Surely, he knew he was handsome. He looked down at what he was wearing, lifting his jacket away from his body then looking at you.</p><p>"I'm nothing compared to you," he replied with a straight face. Before you could respond the waitress greeted you both with a complimentary glass of house red wine and a rundown of the specials. You and Charlie kept your gaze locked on each other as the waitress rambled on and on. </p><p>Once she was finished, Charlie broke eye contact and looked up at her. </p><p>"Lobster, potatoes, steamed broccoli, and a bottle of the house wine," he looked at you. "She'll have the same." </p><p>The waitress thanked Charlie and walked away to retrieve the bottle of requested wine. You smiled at him and turned your gaze to the window, taking in the brilliant view. It was at the moment you realized that this was your first official date. Sure, you'd been out in public at cafes and pizzerias before but this was a proper, put-on-your-red-dress-and-let-daddy-take-you-out type of date.</p><p>Charlie lifted his glass of wine and held it up to you, propositioning you to do the same. You held yours up and tapped his glass with your own. </p><p>"Happy Birthday, your Majesty," he said, lips curling into a bewitching grin.</p><p>You narrowed your eyes at him seductively and bit your lip. "Mmm, yes, the Queen is quite impressed with your efforts this evening," you replied in your best British accent, causing Charlie to snicker into his wine glass. </p><p>"That was good. Proper. Now try it from the West Country, "Oui, you bloody kids git orff mah land!" Charlie's attempted British accent rang through the restaurant as you covered your laugh with your hand. </p><p>The waitress approached with the bottle of wine and gave Charlie a friendly smirk, having heard the silly ruckus. You tried to act casual as you sipped on your wine, still giggling to yourself.</p><p>"Here you are, sir. The house red," she said, uncorking the bottle and refilling his glass. </p><p>"Thank you, it's lovely," Charlie remarked, taking another drink as she nodded and walked away, leaving you both chuckling like school girls. </p><p>Halfway through the meal, you noticed Charlie kept checking his watch for the time. You wondered if he had more plans for after dinner. It was still a few hours shy of midnight and most NYE parties didn't even start until closer to 10 PM since it was more about the after-party than the pre-party. Then again, Charlie didn't seem like the NYE party kind of guy. You figured he was used to spending the holiday in the privacy of his home, doing things like reading, cooking, or Facetiming with Henry. </p><p>But Charlie seemed extra alive this evening, drinking and being genuinely happy to be out and spending time with you. He had so many layers and you were finally peeling them back one at a time. </p><p>An extravagant meal and a bottle of wine later, the two of you were eye-fucking each other like crazy from across the table as you chatted. Carefully, you slipped one of your heels off under the table and extended your leg out, making contact with his knee. </p><p>He stopped mid-sentence and gave you a sinister look. You felt his large hand wrap around your foot and squeeze slightly as his thumb caressed the arch. </p><p>"Careful, sweetheart," he pulled your foot closer to his crotch, showing you that he was already hard. "I've been like this the entire time."</p><p>Thank God he had already paid the check because the two of you couldn't get out of the restaurant faster. Quickly jumping into the back of a taxi cab, Charlie gave the driver his address and within seconds you had straddled him and your lips were locked on each other. </p><p>"Hey, hey... keep it PG back there!" the driver shouted from the front seat.</p><p>Charlie pulled away from your mouth. "Yes, sir," he murmured before burying his face in your cleavage, cupping your breasts as your hands roamed through his gorgeous hair, curling your fingers into the locks and squeezing. </p><p>God, you needed him inside you. </p><p>Charlie reached up to your mouth and parted your lips with his fingers, slipping two of them into your mouth. You sucked as he watched you intently, clenching his jaw. He slowly pulled his hand away from your mouth and reached around and under your dress, pulling your panties to the side and slipping one of his wet fingers inside of you.</p><p>Pressing your lips together, you tried to muffle the moan that was trapped in your throat, shutting your eyes tightly as Charlie watched you struggle to keep your composure. Every bump and swerve on the road made it even more difficult but you found some reprieve by kissing him deeply and stifling your moans against his mouth. </p><p>Charlie pulled his hand away from your core and brought his finger back to his mouth, sucking on it as if it was part of his meal. </p><p>The car came to an abrupt stop in front of Charlie's brownstone and you removed yourself from his lap, allowing him to reach into his jacket pocket for his wallet to pay. </p><p>Once inside the foyer, Charlie's lips were on yours again, hands clutching your waist. Pulling away, he grabbed your hand and led you upstairs. Standing in front of the closed bedroom door, he turned to you and tucked your hair behind your ear.</p><p>"I want to do something different for your birthday," he said softly. "I want you to have control tonight," he pulled your hand up to his mouth and kissed it. "And we want you to tell us what to do."</p><p>You tilted your head to the side in confusion. "We?"</p><p>Charlie reached behind him, twisting the knob and pushing the door open. Looking past him, you saw Scarlett sitting on the foot of his bed dressed in a red lace teddy, giving you a warm smile when you made eye contact with her. </p><p>Happy fucking Birthday to you.</p><p>You glanced back up to Charlie and smiled. "Really?" you asked, in an attempt to let him give you permission since it was such a grand gesture on his part. He had been so great all night, you wanted to give him a little bit of power before you stripped him of it completely. </p><p>"Yes. Just tell me what you want," he said, smiling back, still feeling a little tipsy from the wine. </p><p>So many thoughts ran through your head as you stepped into the room and gazed back and forth between your two lovers, eagerly awaiting your instruction. You were smitten by the idea that Charlie and Scarlett put aside their differences for a night just for you. The last time you were all in the same room with each other was when Charlie busted into your apartment and rudely interrupted the two of you. Once the memory left your mind, you knew what you wanted the first move to be. </p><p>"I think before we start anything..." you looked at Charlie and grinned. "...you owe Scarlett an apology."</p><p>Charlie frowned and nodded, understanding that he had this coming when he arranged this whole soiree. He walked over to his reading chair, took off his sport jacket, draped it over the back of it before removing his watch and sitting down. He leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees. </p><p>"I'm sorry, Scarlett."</p><p>Scarlett, still sitting on the edge of the bed grinned slightly and looked up at you. Smirking, you walked over to Charlie and brushed your fingers through his hair. </p><p>"Come on. You can do better than that, daddy," you encouraged him. "Get on your knees."</p><p>Sighing, Charlie slowly stood up and approached Scarlett, taking one knee at a time until he was fully resting on the floor in front of her.</p><p>Crossing your arms, you leaned into your hip and watched him in silent amusement. </p><p>"I'm sorry..." he said again, looking down at the floor that had now become his home.</p><p>Scarlett bit back her smile, completely loving the show that you were putting on for her. </p><p>Still unsatisfied, you walked behind Charlie, snaking your fingers through his raven locks and tugging his head back so he was forced to look at Scarlett.</p><p>Bending down towards his ear, you whispered. "Look at her, daddy. Look at her beautiful face when you say it."</p><p>Charlie's breath hitched, face straining, totally aroused but hating this shameful moment. "Scarlett... I'm sorry," he repeated, sounding much more genuine this time.</p><p>You made a sound of approval near his ear. "That's much better. Good boy." you released the grip on his hair, letting his head bob forward. Placing your hands on his shoulders, you squeezed slightly.</p><p>"You're going to stay right here, on the floor, like a dog, until I tell you to get up," you instructed, stroking the top of his head. "And if you obey me like a good boy, I'll let you cum."</p><p>You walked over to the side of the bed and turned around, pointing to the zipper on the back of your dress to which Scarlett moved up to her knees and reached over to unzip. </p><p>Charlie's eyes were locked on you from the floor, watching how you owned the room; his room. He felt his erection pressing up against his pants and he shifted his posture.</p><p>"But before I let you cum, I'm going to take care of Scarlett," you said, letting your dress slip off your frame and fall to the floor, displaying your black lace bra and panties. "And then you're going to take care of me."</p><p>Charlie's jaw tensed, silently appreciating that he was the one who was going to make you cum and not Scarlett. He knew he shouldn't build up any expectations since he agreed to play by your rules, but even as he rested on his knees, he still felt like your dominant. He felt the uneasiness of jealousy, watching Scarlett touch you, kiss you, lick you. He had to keep reminding himself that he was the one in charge since he allowed this to happen. </p><p>He watched you kiss Scarlett deeply, cup her breasts, and run your hands all over her body. His cock twitched from under his clothes and he adjusted himself again, reaching down to unbuckle his belt and unzip his pants to relieve the tension. He would try to refrain from touching himself until you gave him permission. </p><p>You pulled away from Scarlett and walked over to Charlie's nightstand, pulling the drawer open. Reaching in you found what you were looking for immediately. Shutting the drawer, you brought the ball gag over to Scarlett and held it up with a devilish grin. </p><p>"Remember when we would use things like this?" you asked, seeing Scarlett's eyes light up.</p><p>"Ooo... yes, I do. My favorite," she replied, giddy to see the device in your hands. You positioned the gag in her mouth and secured it around the back of her head. Lightly kissing the exposed side of the ball, you roughly pushed her back onto the bed, watching her bounce on the landing with a muffled giggle. You crawled on top of her, kissing her neck, down to her chest, her torso, biting at the luscious curves of her love handles.</p><p>You made eyes at Charlie as you moved to Scarlett's core, kissing her inner thighs. His lips were parted, breath heavy, watching you with fire in his eyes, cock getting harder with every second that passed.</p><p>You undid the red lace fabric from Scarlett, exposing her enticing center as you flattened your tongue and licked her slowly to warm her up. You gradually pushed your tongue in between her folds, opening her wetness to you as she moaned into the ball gag with delight, arching her back. </p><p>You hummed, moving your head from side to side as she continued squirming under your touch. Charlie was practically panting, watching you eat Scarlett's pussy in the same manner as he would do to you. He balled up his hands into fists, wanting so badly to taste you, to enjoy you.</p><p>You pulled your face away from Scarlett and inserted two fingers, fucking her gradually at first. You glanced back over to Charlie who was looking worse for wear at this point.</p><p>"Show me your cock, daddy," you instructed, giving him permission to finally touch himself. </p><p>Charlie eagerly reached into his pants and pulled his swollen length free, jerking his fist to release the tension that had been building up. </p><p>You pumped your fingers into Scarlett faster to match his rhythm, watching his struggle to keep a steady breath.</p><p>"Slow down, daddy...  you don't get to cum yet, okay?" you reminded, as he growled and roughly bit his bottom lip, slowing his pace on himself. </p><p>Keeping up your pace on Scarlett you could tell she was on the brink and you began sucking on her clit, keeping your fingers buried deep inside her. Within seconds, you heard muffled screams into the gag as she pulsated around your hand, body quaking from her peak hitting hard.</p><p>Kissing your way up her body, you released the ball gag so that she could fully relax. Completely breathless, she smiled at you while opening and closing her jaw from it being overly stretched. </p><p>You gazed back over to Charlie, patiently waiting on the floor with his cock in hand. "Stand up, and come here." You ordered him to the side of the bed. </p><p>You met him with a kiss and he tasted Scarlett on your mouth. Placing his hands on your ass, he squeezed, hating the taste but loving how bad you were being. He fought back the urge to flip you over, spank you hard and fuck the bad girl right out of you. </p><p>Brushing your lips against his, you whispered, "Can you make me cum with your mouth?"</p><p>Ahh, memories, Charlie thought to himself.</p><p>He cupped your neck in his hand and looked you dead in the eye. "You know I can, princess."</p><p>His lips crashed onto yours for an intense kiss before he pushed you back onto the bed in the same manner that you had done to Scarlett. </p><p>As Charlie's hot mouth found your cunt, Scarlett's kiss found your lips, and you were overwhelmed by the amount of affection laid upon you at once. Two sets of hands roamed all over your body, cupping, squeezing, trailing down every which way, sending chills up your spine as you tried to focus on the overstimulation. </p><p>Charlie moaned into you, and you moaned into the open air, as Scarlett whispered dirty things into your ear, licking and sucking on your earlobe.</p><p>"You like when he eats that pussy, don't you? With his big, soft lips..." her breathy voice near your ear gave you goosebumps, feeling your orgasm build and build as they both worked in unison to bring you closer. </p><p>Charlie pulled back as he watched his fingers fuck you, jaw slacked. "You gonna cum for daddy?" he asked, thrusting his hand back and forth, curling his fingers deep inside you as you writhed in pleasure. </p><p>Scarlett moved her hand down to your bundle of nerves and began circling your clit. Panting for breath, you tilted your gaze down to Charlie and his eyes met yours. He gave an evil grin, watching your face flush as your orgasm hit its peak. </p><p>You threw your head back, squeezing your eyes shut as you yelled obscenities into the room, feeling yourself cum hard against both of their touches.</p><p>You felt Charlie's weight hover over you as you tried to catch your breath, kissing his way up to nestle into your neck as Scarlett stroked your hair. Your body trembled in the aftershock of it all. </p><p>Leaning over Scarlett whispered in your ear again. "I want to watch him fuck you, love." </p><p>You glanced over at her and grinned as Charlie lifted his head and also smiled. He brought himself to his knees in between your legs and reached over his head to lift his sweater off, exposing his beautifully solid torso. </p><p>Scarlett placed soft kisses on your neck and shoulder as you watched Charlie undress fluidly above you. Your heart swelled knowing how difficult it probably was for him to let go of his own jealousy and control just so you could have this moment of utter ecstasy with the two of them. </p><p>As Charlie readied himself with a condom, Scarlett spit in her hand and ran her wet fingers against your pussy, preparing you for Charlie's huge cock. Condom on and eyes locked on your sex, Charlie rubbed the head of cock against your wet folds as Scarlett slowly circled your clit. </p><p>You inhaled sharply and arched your back when he finally pushed himself inside. "Oh God... yes," you moaned, feeling Charlie start to rock his hips back and forth at a seductive pace. </p><p>Scarlett turned your jaw to face her as she began kissing you, tongue snaking in and out of your mouth. Charlie watched with a strained face as he held back his moans and groans, feeling your walls clench around him. Now that he was inside you, he felt his control take over and it became a game of competition in his head.</p><p>His hand found your neck, tugging you away from Scarlett as he leaned down and kissed you just as passionately, pushing into you even deeper as jealousy coursed through his veins.</p><p>Scarlett smiled as she pulled back and began touching herself, watching the two of you enjoy each other, mere inches away from her. She could sense Charlie's dominance come into play.</p><p>"Are you fucking her good, Charlie?" Scarlett asked, under her breath as she worked on herself.</p><p>Charlie groaned in your mouth, pulling away to hover over you, gritting his teeth. "No one fucks her this good," he replied, to which you bit your lower lip and moaned in agreement.</p><p>His pace picked up momentarily before he pulled out and flipped you over to your stomach, spanking your ass cheeks one by one. You hummed in delight at the new shift of positions and the unexpected sting of pain. Lifting yourself to your hands and knees, you invited Scarlett to lay in front of you so you could go down on her while Charlie fucked you from behind. </p><p>Charlie snapped his hips into you, watching you lick and suck on Scarlett's cunt like the bicon you were born to be. His hands ran up your back, fingers digging into the skin, trailing back to squeeze your ass before spanking you again. Was he still jealous? Absolutely. But holy fuck was it erotic.</p><p>"Eat that pussy like the bad bitch you are," he encouraged breath becoming more ragged as his peak started building. </p><p>You finger fucked Scarlett as you sucked wildly on her clit, keeping the same pace on her as Charlie had on you. </p><p>Moaning, groaning, and grunting from three voices played like music throughout the room. </p><p>It wasn't long before Scarlett started thrashing under you, legs trembling as her orgasm hit first. The sight and taste of her coupled with the feeling of Charlie thrusting deep into you pushed you over your peak next, clamping down as your pussy milked his cock.</p><p>Charlie was next, grunting loudly, forcefully thrusting forward as each spurt of hot cum pulsated out of him. </p><p>Heavy breaths and sweaty bodies all caressing each other as everyone came down from the high.</p><p>Charlie pulled out gently, leaning over to place a kiss on your ass cheek before giving the red skin from his hand print a playful tap. He walked over to the bathroom to remove the condom and turn the shower on. </p><p>You laid down next to Scarlett, both of you unable to control your smiling and giggles. </p><p>"That almost felt like it was my birthday," Scarlett said, chuckling. "I hate to admit it but you guys are pretty fucking hot together," she said, turning to the side and resting her head on her elbow. </p><p>You gazed at the ceiling and smiled. "Yeah. We are." you joked back, both of you laughing at the smugness. </p><p>Charlie playfully tossed two fluffy white towels at you both on the bed.</p><p>"Ladies first."</p><p> </p><p>A/N: Happy New Year, rat family!! Hope you enjoyed this one. It was fun. Like... alotta fun. This was the first time I wrote a threesome scene and I know normally the guy would fuck both girls but I thought it was better portrayed that Charlie and Scarlett only focused on you, given their history and Charlie's submissive/jealous nature for you. I also see Scarlett as being more sexually drawn to women than men. Well, shit. Imma go take a cold shower now. xo- Nicole</p>
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<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Queen Bitch</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>With a towel wrapped around your body, you walked out of your bathroom and over to the kitchen counter, reaching for a wine glass and pouring yourself a nice helping. Tasting the tart, dry wine on your tongue, you swallowed, letting yourself daydream back to a week ago. Butterflies fluttered in your belly, remembering your first official dinner date with Charlie, how much of a gentleman he was, surprising you with such a wonderful and memorable night despite his dislike for Scarlett or going on official dates for that matter.</p><p>Charlie had taken on the role of what could only be defined as an actual boyfriend. Whether or not he would openly refer to himself as your boyfriend or you, his girlfriend, may never happen but behind closed doors, you had become much more than just lovers. You saw each other almost every day as long as you didn't already have scheduled plans to do other things.</p><p>In the evenings you'd work at the spa, Charlie would make plans to meet up with close friends or people from the theater scene to plan their next round of shows. Sometimes he would be out all night and you wouldn't hear from him until the next day, but that was fine for you since you enjoyed your space.</p><p>Tonight, however, was a big deal for you both. Charlie was coming over to take you to the club for the first time as his submissive. It was a bit of an "introduction", as he explained so that you would be known around the club as "his property". You rolled your eyes at the thought of being paraded around like someone's trophy, but there was something seductive behind it all, knowing that you could make him crumble to the floor when it was just the two of you. As far as everyone else was concerned, he was your dominant, but you knew all you had to do was give him a stern look and a few orders before he would succumb to you. It gave you chills knowing how much power you had over a man like that.</p><p>Walking over to the radio on the nightstand, you turned on some sexy music. You still had a couple of hours to get ready before Charlie would arrive, and you decided now was as good a time as any to get off to the thought of making Charlie drop to his knees for you in front of everyone at the club. </p><p> It may never be a reality, but it would live rent-free in your fantasies.</p><p>Laying naked on your bed, damp hair draped over the pillow, you began touching yourself to the mental vision of him... his lips, his hair, his hands....</p><p>His eyes, looking up at you, sinking to his knees, slowly but with purpose, hands sliding down to your hips, parted lips moving closer to your center....</p><p>Your eyes were closed, breathing heavy, imagining it all in your head.</p><p>Everyone watching while the two of you only watched each other, his tongue dragging against your core, dark eyes narrowing as you slipped your fingers through his soft, raven hair...</p><p> </p><p>You quickly snapped out of it when you heard the deadbolt unlock on your front door. Grabbing your towel and holding it up to your chest as you promptly sat up, and saw Charlie walk through the door with a shopping bag in hand.</p><p>"Damn it!... you really should knock!" you reacted, trying to catch your breath.</p><p>Charlie, giving you a crooked grin and shaking his head as he closed the door behind him, casually stalked towards the bed. "What's my bad girl up to?"</p><p>You exhaled sharply, getting up from the bed and wrapping the towel around your frame.</p><p>"You're early," you sneered.</p><p>He laughed, sitting the bag down on the bed. "I have no problem waiting for you to finish," he said, reaching for your towel and tugging. You pulled back, holding the towel snug to your body.</p><p>"I'm not going to jerk off in front of you," you mocked. "If anything, we'd just fuck."</p><p>Charlie tucked your wet hair behind your ear. "Mutual masturbation is hot, we should try it sometime," he said, directly. </p><p>Your stomach churned at the thought of him doing something like that with other women. In fact, you hated the thought of him doing anything with another person. Which only made you feel hypocritical given what you made him watch a week ago.</p><p>It took a minute to compose yourself before you realized how especially hot Charlie looked. He was wearing an all-black suit, hair pushed back in perfect waves, his intoxicating scent surrounding him like a halo. He looked almost dangerous. A force to be reckoned with.</p><p>"You look... nice," you said with a shy smile, poking at him. You mentally started to panic, hoping that you had something just as sexy to wear in your closet.</p><p>He gave you a humble smirk, never the one to take a compliment without shrugging it off in disbelief. Reaching over, he held up the bag as it dangled off his two fingers.</p><p>"I got something for you," he said, passing the bag to you.</p><p>Tucking your towel into your chest, you took the expensive-looking bag from him and peeked inside. You pulled out two red boxes wrapped in black bows.</p><p>He took the smaller one from you and instructed you to open the big one first. Removing the top and pushing the white tissue paper aside, you found a black, lace dress. It was a short, off the shoulder piece that would showcase your curves nicely but covered enough to keep things somewhat classy.</p><p>"I saw this and it reminded me of the outfit you wore on your first night at the club," he said, running the lace fabric through one of his hands as you held it up. "Black lace looks incredible on you."</p><p>You smiled at the compliment, examining the dress, and remembering that night. It wasn't exactly a happy memory, and you didn't care to recall how emotional you got when you saw him there that night.</p><p>"Speaking of..." he started, taking a seat on your bed, holding the smaller box in his hands. "We need to talk about what you saw me doing at the club that night."</p><p>A weight dropped in your stomach, realizing that this was the conversation you had been trying to avoid. You had long ago made up your own assumptions in your mind about what you saw that night...</p><p>He was trying something new for the evening.</p><p>He lost a bet.</p><p>He has an evil twin.</p><p>"Look, whatever it was... it's in the past. You don't need to explain yourself. I get it... we were all there to just have fun, right?" you said, giving him a nervous giggle.</p><p>His face was solid as stone and you knew he was going to tell you anyway.</p><p>Sighing quietly, you sat on the bed next to him and held your breath, waiting for the awkward story of why you saw Charlie Barber roll up his sleeves, ready to spank some nameless woman as a room full of onlookers patiently waited to observe.</p><p>A silent moment passed as you both sat in stillness.</p><p>"I'm employed by the club," he said, voice deep and unyielding. "I'm under contract to perform every week."</p><p>You felt your stomach twist. He performs weekly? So he's still performing? And has been the entire time you've known him?</p><p>You had so many questions bubbling up inside you as your throat began swelling. So many things started to connect and make sense.</p><p>Charlie took note of your stiff body language and rested his hand on your leg. You tensed under his caressing touch.</p><p>"It's not what you might be thinking..." he tried to recover. "I don't have sex with anyone. It's mostly just demonstrations of proper technique. It's safe, it's educational...it's not..."</p><p>"It's not... prostitution?" you said, finishing his sentence.</p><p>He sighed deeply and squeezed your leg. "No. No, it's not."</p><p>You swallowed, trying to understand but feeling weighed down by it all. Needless to say, this wasn't going to be like any other relationship you've ever been in before. A part of that realization was refreshing, but it was also scary. You feared the unknown of what else was ahead.</p><p>"So... what does this mean? What do we do now with... this?" you asked, gesturing to you both, looking to him for answers on how to feel, how to think.</p><p>He reached up and stroked your hair, giving you a tender expression.</p><p>"We make our own rules. We do what feels right. For us."</p><p>It seemed so simple when he said it.</p><p>You took a deep breath, considering his words. Again, at least he was being honest with you. He wasn't living some secret life behind your back. He was inviting you into his world, as his, wanting to show you off. He wasn't ashamed, he wasn't hiding. He wanted you to be a part of it.</p><p>You placed your hand on top of his that was still resting on your leg.</p><p>"Okay," you said, giving him a sympathizing grin. You glanced down at the box he was still holding. "So what's in that one? Burning crucifix?" you said in jest. He smiled, removing his hand from your leg to open the box. </p><p>Charlie lifted up a black leather collar with one finger from the box and passed it to you. You pinched your brows, taking it from him to read what was embroidered on it.</p><p>In white stitching, the word "Queen" was showcased elegantly on the outside of the collar. You noticed there was stitching on the inside of it, too, as you inspected it further seeing the word "Bitch" displayed in bold red letters.</p><p>You gave him an expressive leer. "So which one am I?"</p><p>He smirked, taking the collar as he stood up and in front of you, unclasping it and placing it around your neck, Queen side up. His hand moved under your chin to tip your head upwards as he gazed down on you, fresh-faced, hair still damp, white towel wrapped around your curves.</p><p>Stroking your cheek lightly and with care, his hand roamed down to run his fingers against the leather pressed against your soft, supple neck. You bit your bottom lip, looking up at him towering over you, dark and domineering.</p><p>"You look beautiful."</p><p>The feeling of affection showered over you, heart jumping into your throat, as you grew unable to pull your gaze away from him. He hypnotized you with his eyes, his touch, his words... his... everything.</p><p>You untucked your towel, letting it fall to the sides of you. Raising your hands up to his belt, you gently tugged him forward.</p><p>There was no agenda this time, no power struggle, no hidden anger, or jealousy. You just wanted him. Wanted his touch on you, his kiss on your lips, his weight bearing down, making you feel wanted and desired. He was always so good at that.</p><p>"I need you." </p><p>The words left your mouth effortlessly, with intention and devotion.</p><p>He smiled. Like really smiled. You saw joy behind his eyes, and a sparkle of something else that you hadn't seen before and it made your heart swell.</p><p>Keeping your gaze on him, you began unbuckling his belt and unzipping his pants. Your mouth was on him as soon as you pulled him free. He moaned gently from his throat, relishing in the warm feeling of your wet mouth wrapped around him. </p><p>Charlie removed his suit jacket, tossing it to the end of the bed. He still had on his black button-up and black vest as he started unbuttoning the sleeves to roll them up, all the while you worked your tongue around the head of his dick, licking up the length and stroking him with both hands. </p><p>Once he pushed his sleeves up and away, he scooped your hair up to the crown of your head with his strong hands and squeezed, letting you go at your own pace as he watched intently. You took his cock so well into your mouth, moving your hands along with the rhythm to make sure every inch of him was being touched.</p><p>If it was possible to make love to his cock with your mouth, this was it. You took your time, drawing him in and out gradually, eyes closed, tasting every bit of him. You heard him become breathless above you, his hands squeezed into fists in your hair, following your every move.</p><p>"I need to be inside you."</p><p>His voice was almost broken from struggling not to cum. His grip on your hair relaxed as you pulled your mouth off of him, looking back up, seeing how flushed his face was from the job you had done on him.</p><p>You leaned back as he followed, lips crashing onto yours, wrapping your legs around his waist, his hands resting on the bed, hovering over you as he slowly moved to his elbows, his weight finally pressing against you.</p><p>His cock was still wet from your mouth and you felt him right against your aching cunt as he kissed you deeply. Maybe it was the heat of the moment, or maybe you just didn't give a fuck, but you pushed your hips up to meet his, feeling the head of his cock make its way inside. Wetness started pooling quickly, feeling him twitching, eagerly wanting to feel more of you. He couldn't help but push himself all the way in, moaning into your mouth, finally feeling all of you again.</p><p>Once completely sheathed inside, he paused feeling the warmth of your walls contract against him. Lips hovering over yours, exchanging breaths and tender gazes into each other's eyes. He pulled back slowly and then in again. Both of you paying such close attention to each other, both guilty of what you were so painfully aware of.</p><p>It was wrong. You knew it was wrong. But he felt so damn good like this, especially at the slow, seductive pace he kept on you, eyes never leaving yours. This was unlike any other time before. You had never felt so connected to him, even during some of the most vulnerable moments before... this was something different.</p><p>Charlie only broke his gaze to kiss you again before moving his lips down to your neck, kissing the collar and the soft skin around it.</p><p>You felt his mouth move up to your ear, hips rocking deeper into you as his heated breath brushed against your skin.</p><p>"You're mine," he whispered.</p><p>You moaned at his words, feeling so incredibly amazing underneath him as he claimed you.</p><p>"I'm yours," you whispered back into his broad shoulder that was pressing against you.</p><p>His pace picked up, moans becoming more frequent as you felt your body blush with tingles.</p><p>The sensation of him being fully clothed against your bare skin sent excitement through you. This beautiful man needed to devour you so badly he didn't have time to remove anything except his jacket.</p><p>Charlie kissed you deeply again before pulling back and gazing into your eyes, thrusting into you as beads of sweat started to appear on his forehead.</p><p>"Are you my good girl?" he asked through irregular, heavy breaths.</p><p>You moaned in agreement as his hand cupped one of your breasts, moving his lips down to suck and lick on the skin, drawing your nipple into his mouth, swirling his tongue over it.</p><p>Tilting your head back, your hands found his hair as you ran your fingers through the soft and sensual locks. The sexy rocking of his hips began to escalate as you both felt the rise of pleasure building up.</p><p>"Yes... give it to me... give it to me, daddy..." you encouraged, feeling him tense above you and growling in response.</p><p>He pushed his huge cock in and out, lips parted, gazing down at your writhe under him, needing to cum so badly. </p><p>"Don't forget to pull out... " you whimpered, holding back your breath, feeling yourself come closer to release.</p><p>Charlie groaned in response, pushing himself up onto his hands and thrusting even faster.</p><p>His gaze moved down to your sex. "...pussy's so tight..." he said, clenching his jaw while watching his hip meet yours.</p><p>"... please..." you begged, straining to reach your orgasm but also making sure he didn't cum inside you.</p><p>"... so fucking good..." he said, pounding into you harder and harder as a white flash of heat pulsated through you, body quaking under him as you yelled into the air above.</p><p>All you remembered next was hearing Charlie grunt loudly and the feeling of his warm release spilling out onto your lower abdomen. You looked down and exhaled in relief, seeing that he was able to control himself enough to pull out before making the same mistake all over again.</p><p>Heavy breaths between you began to slow down with each passing second as you both came down from the high. Shame came next. How could you have been so careless again? This wasn't just forgetting to be safe in the heat of the moment. </p><p>You both looked at each other in the eye and knew exactly what you were doing, as you were doing it. </p><p>Also, not to mention how significantly different this time felt.</p><p>This time felt... profound.</p><p>A connection was born. And it scared you because it was unlike anything you'd ever felt before.</p><p>You knew love rather well. Your first love from high school was sweet and innocent. Your love for Scarlett was foundational and solid. Your love for Ben was effortless and temporary.</p><p>But this? This felt like... pain.</p><p>Heavy, deep, intimidating, overwhelming but most of all... limitless. With no boundaries, no expectations, and no mercy.</p><p>It terrified the hell out of you.</p><p>Charlie lifted himself off the bed and used the bath towel to clean you off. His face was blank, giving you no idea as to what he was thinking or feeling. Not that it surprised you, he was a master at putting on a poker face.</p><p>You stayed silent along with him, bringing yourself off the bed and walking into the bathroom, and closing the door behind you. Sitting on the toilet, you held your face in your hands and took a few deep breaths.</p><p>You could pinpoint the exact moment you fell in love with Charlie Barber.</p><p>You look beautiful.</p><p>Silent tears stung your eyes as you covered your face and squeezed them shut. Your breath hitched when you inhaled so you reached over to the sink to turn the faucet on and muffle the sound of any sobs.</p><p>You were patient with yourself, giving your emotions enough time to come fully to the surface and wash away. You still had a big night ahead and you'll be damned if you get caught weeping at the damn sex club again.</p><p>After splashing some cool water on your face, you reached over and grabbed your bathrobe, wrapping around your frame and tying it at the waist.</p><p>Opening the door, you saw Charlie sitting at the little makeup vanity that was situated next to your nightstand, toying with the brushes and inspecting the makeup sitting out. He was in his own world, reading labels, smelling lotions and potions while you watched him like a fly on the wall.</p><p>Your heart smiled. The heaviness from seconds earlier turned into something much more content.</p><p>"Would you like a makeover?" you asked, interrupting his thoughts.</p><p>He perked up and stood, smirking to himself, "Sorry..." he said, quickly, moving over to sit on the edge of the bed so you could have the vanity chair.</p><p>You sat down and turned the vanity light on, collecting the items you needed in front of you. You felt his eyes leering on you and sensed he wanted to say something.</p><p>"Yes?" you said, without looking over, keeping your focus on the task of getting ready..</p><p>Charlie gave you a half-smile. "Just seems like a waste," he said.</p><p>Pulling your makeup sponge away from your face, you turned to him, looking confused. "What's a waste?"</p><p>"Putting makeup on," he said frankly, standing back up and walking over to stand behind you.</p><p>His hands moved to the sides of your face and dragged your hair back, stroking it gently. He leaned forward, grabbed the hairbrush from the vanity, and began slowly brushing your hair.</p><p>"And why is that?" you asked, continuing to apply the concealer to your problem areas.</p><p>Charlie grinned to himself, not removing his focus on slowly smoothing your hair with the brush. </p><p>"When something is perfect, you should leave it alone."</p><p> </p><p>*******************************</p><p> </p><p>Stepping into the elevator, you and Charlie turned on your heel in unison, looking each other up and down as the doors closed. Shifting your gaze forward, you saw your reflections in the shiny metal doors. You looked amazing together in your matching black outfits. Charlie in his sleek suit and you in your sexy lace dress.</p><p>You saw Charlie's reflection pull something metal out from his pocket and you peered down. It was a chain leash and it registered quickly that it was for your collar.</p><p>He turned to you and attached it, tensing his jaw at the sight of it all coming together. The collar, the leash, your dress, and finally, the bracelet he gave you that you'd been wearing daily.</p><p>You gulped, feeling him lightly tug on it for good measure right before the rear doors opened to the infamous red neon-lit lobby.</p><p>The receptionist formally greeted Charlie, scanning both his card and yours.</p><p>"Ah. I see this is your first time using your submissive card," she said kindly to Charlie, giving him a smile. She looked at you and asked for your ID to update the card's details. </p><p>Entering the information, she paused. "Oh, and I see this is your second time here. Welcome back," she said, handing the card and ID back to you, giving you a knowing look, probably remembering who you were. How could she forget the girl who ran out of the sex club in tears.</p><p>Walking through the secured doorway and into the familiar dark hallway, Charlie held the leash loosely in one hand while holding your hand with the other, intertwining your fingers as he led you down the club corridor and into the main hall.</p><p>The bass music vibrated through your body just as it did before. The main hall looked even more alive tonight as you both made your way through the crowd. Several patrons moved aside at the sight of Charlie with a submissive on a leash. You took note of the impression he had on the room and wondered what his reputation was within the walls of this secret place. Was it similar to the theater world? Private and elusive with people making up their own ideas and assumptions about who he was?</p><p>Charlie guided you to an area of the main hall that was roped off, giving the security guard a friendly nod as he was allowed through the threshold with you by his side. Plush, royal looking thrones were pushed up against the warm, backlit walls. The area was away from the dancing and loud music but still provided a view of all the club happenings.</p><p>Charlie sat down in one of the chairs and tapped his knee, inviting you to sit on his lap. You gazed over and saw some submissives kneeling on the floor next to their dominants which made you smirked to yourself. That wouldn't be you.</p><p>You lowered yourself to his lap as Charlie was immediately greeted by a sexy, half-naked waitress wearing a provocative pleather teddy with embellishments.</p><p>"Your usual, Charlie?" the waitress asked, smiling with her full, crimson lips.</p><p>He gave her a grin and nodded, "Make it two."</p><p>"Of course," she said smoothly, not even acknowledging you before walking away.</p><p>Annoyed, you turned your head to him. "So, what did I just order?" you said, tersely.</p><p>"Old fashioned," he replied. "You'll like it. It's strong, but has bits of sweet... just like you." he tugged your leash, causing you to lean towards him as he placed a light kiss on your lips.</p><p>"Charlie...?" a deep voice broke your attention from each other.</p><p>"James," Charlie said, as you moved off his lap so he could stand and shake hands with the menacing man. He was tall and lean wearing a well-tailored suit with rings on his tattoo-covered hands. His smile seemed devious and when his pale, blue eyes locked on you, it sent cold chills down your spine. Some people give you good vibes right away and some give you sadistic, murder-y ones. This guy was the latter of the two.</p><p>"I see you brought someone," he said to Charlie, eyes never leaving you as you stood with a rigid spine.</p><p>Charlie introduced the two of you and the man reached out to greet you. As you brought your hand up to his, he seized it firmly and pulled it up to his lips for a kiss. You cringed at the feeling of cold and dry lips against your knuckle, quickly snatching your hand back, and looking up at Charlie.</p><p>"Ooo... feisty little thing," he growled. "Good for you," he praised Charlie and patted him on the shoulder. Charlie looked just as annoyed as you were but kept his composure.</p><p>"She's loyal, to say the least," Charlie replied to James, marking his words that you were not one to stray.</p><p>The waitress brought over the drinks, giving them both to Charlie, again, completely ignoring you.</p><p>Your patience for this shit was running thin.</p><p>Charlie passed your cocktail to you and James suggested a toast. "To loyalty, then," he said, in a low and raspy voice. You all clinked your glasses together and took a sip.</p><p>Once it was finally the two of you again, Charlie sat back down as you watched James stroll through the crowd, looking back to you and winking.</p><p>"So, who was that?"</p><p>"James works here. He's the head of operations so he's the eyes and ears of everything," Charlie said, taking another sip of his beverage and relaxing back onto the chair.</p><p>"Hm. He gives me the creeps," you said, standing tall next to him in his chair.</p><p>Glancing around you noticed how several women had their eyes on Charlie, seeming especially curious of him. Maybe it was because they had never seen him with someone before or maybe it was because they were on the prowl. Either way, you were determined to mark your territory, even if you were the one on the leash.</p><p>You seductively leaned over Charlie, placing your hands on the armrests. "Do I have to ask daddy permission to use the ladies' room?" you gave him a devious grin. He took a sip of his drink, dark eyes heavy on you as he swallowed the liquor.</p><p>"Be a good girl," he teased, reaching up to unhook the leash, freeing you.</p><p>The bathroom was just as sexy as the rest of the club, golden faucets and accents stood out against the black and red walls and floor. You stood in front of the mirror washing your hands, then fix your hair and makeup, when you saw her reflection appear next to yours.</p><p>Isabel Porter.</p><p>Every organ in your body tensed at the sight of her. She looked as classy as she did before when you saw her for the first time. You swallowed hard, redirecting your attention back to yourself, combing your fingers through your hair. You grazed your fingers across the collar on your neck and began feeling inferior next to such a powerhouse of a woman. She carried herself with such confidence, you weren't sure what her secret was. Why did the mere presence of her make you feel so small?</p><p>She said your name causing you to make eye contact with her through your reflections, side by side.</p><p>"Isabel," you replied, voice cracking a bit. You cleared your throat and swallowed.</p><p>She smiled.</p><p>"I was hoping to see you here," she said kindly. "I'm glad you decided to come back."</p><p>Come back? How did she know you'd been here before? You didn't remember seeing her on your first night. Maybe she was just assuming since she saw you leave the clinic with Charlie.</p><p>"Good to see Charlie has finally chosen a submissive," she said, pulling lipstick out from her designer purse and slowly reapplying it.</p><p>You stayed quiet, pulling your focus back to your own reflection, somehow hating what you were looking at all of a sudden. You reached up and unclasped the collar from your neck, slowly bringing it down.</p><p>She moved her gaze to you thru the mirror, giving you a wicked smile.</p><p>"I see a lot of myself in you," she said, putting the cap back onto her lipstick. "It's a struggle, really. You want them to take control, but you also want all the power."</p><p>You looked down at the collar in your hands and back up at her. It felt like she was reading your mind.</p><p>She turned to face you, no longer using the mirror as a buffer.</p><p>"You can have it all once you remove all the expectations and rules," she insisted, stepping closer to you. "Men are never faithful. So there's no reason to give them that level of loyalty in return."</p><p>You locked eyes with her finally, suspicious of why she chose those exact words.</p><p>"Charlie's different," you said, defending your choices. "What we have is different."</p><p>She smirked at you, stepping even closer to the point of grazing against your arm with her body. You smelled the signature cotton candy scent on her and wanted to gag.</p><p>"I taught him everything he knows," she whispered into your ear, sensually brushing your hair off your shoulder. "Every touch, every bruise, every kiss...</p><p>...Charlie does whatever I tell him to do."</p><p>Rage immersed through your body. You didn't know who the hell this woman really was, but it infuriated you that Charlie had suggested that she wasn't in his life anymore when she was clearly still around. She was significant enough that he allowed her to keep some of her belongings at his house. You wanted to believe that she was lying but a part of you knew she wasn't.</p><p>"We'll see about that," you challenged, leaving Isabel behind as you roughly pushed open the bathroom door.</p><p>Marching through the dancing crowd and back over to Charlie, you saw James wandering towards you, grinning from ear to ear. His hand found your bicep and he pulled you into him. You jerked your arm back and away from his grip.</p><p>He had a villainous laugh. "Tell me, sweetheart. Where do you put all that feisty energy when he tells you to kneel before him?" the whiskey on his breath made you cringe as he spoke so close to you.</p><p>You pushed him out of the way, ignoring his drunken interrogation, still fuming from the conversation with Isabel. Once you finally reached the roped-off VIP area the security guard let you through without question.</p><p>Charlie was leaning on his forearms, talking with the waitress who was now on her knees in front of him. As if you weren't pissed enough as it was, the sight of them in some kind of intimate conversation sent a surge of unpredictable fury through you. </p><p>"Men are never faithful."</p><p>You walked up to him, watching his eyes move from her to you and shift his expression at your demeanor. Without any hesitation, you grabbed what was left of your beverage from the side table and threw it in the waitress's face.</p><p>She gasped, pushing herself up to her feet as other patrons stopped in their tracks to watch the show. By natural reaction, Charlie abruptly stood to help her and you glared at him.</p><p>"Sit. Down." you ordered of him. He looked at you with irritation on his face but eventually took a seat.</p><p>The waitress wiped her face off with her hands, makeup a mess, and scoffed. "Fucking bitch," she snapped, before storming off. You hated this god damn club.</p><p>"What the hell? That was completely out of line," Charlie said scornfully, looking up at you. "Where's your collar?" he demanded.</p><p>You tossed it at him and he caught it against his chest.</p><p>"Wear it yourself, bitch."</p><p>You were breathing fire as onlookers ogled at the sight of what appeared to be a submissive giving her dominant a run for his money.</p><p>Charlie leaned back in total confusion and shock at the switch in your tone and attitude, watching you strut out of the main hall and leave the club without another word. Isabel had been watching like a hawk from the sidelines and smiling to herself in victory.</p><p>James walked up to Isabel, taking a sip of his whiskey as they both enjoyed the ruckus.</p><p>"You were right, Isabel. She's perfect."</p><p>"Yes. She is."</p><p>James turned to face her. "So what's next?"</p><p>Isabel sighed gently, looking over at Charlie who was now apologizing to the waitress on behalf of your misconduct. She smirked and shook her head at his kindness.</p><p>"Tear them down..." she said, pausing to take a sip of her drink. "...then bring her to me."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Wicked Games</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter TW: extreme angst and heartache.</p><p>A/N: Although Isabel and James are real characters in the storyline, I created them as metaphors for the negative talk we have within ourselves. Isabel represents our inner voice that is always telling us how we're never good enough in life. That's why Y/N always feels so inferior/small in her presence and also why she tortures Charlie. James represents our self-destructive tendencies.</p><p>While things are about to go off the rails a bit, please know that this is a story about Y/N and Charlie finding their true selves through each other and the path is going to be messy and ugly at times. </p><p>Sending you my love and appreciation. <br/>xo- Nicole</p><p> </p><p>****************************************************</p><p> </p><p>Love is a funny thing.</p><p>Maybe funny is the wrong word.</p><p>Love is the fucking worst...</p><p>It takes on so many forms and flows across an entire spectrum of emotion. The love you have for your best friend is much different than the kind you feel for your lover. Sometimes your best friend is your lover.</p><p>And other times your lover is your greatest enemy.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It had been four days. No calls, no texts, no surprise drop-ins. Neither of you even knew where to begin after what transpired in the club.</p><p>You went about your normal week, working your schedule at the spa, scouting for auditions, and checking your phone every five minutes to see if he had called and maybe you just didn't hear it.</p><p>You hated how much you were missing him. You hated yourself for letting things go this far with someone you knew from day one wasn't emotionally available or even willing to commit.</p><p>At the time, you were just trying to move on from Ben and have fun. But that fun turned into serious shit, and that serious shit brought you and Charlie closer together. You bonded in unexpected ways, through shared tragedy and trauma.</p><p>You got to see another side of Charlie when he was with Henry. You witnessed how compassionate and tender he was during the miscarriage. You recognized how wounded his soul was, deep down, behind his need for power and control.</p><p>He was deeply troubled.</p><p>And you were a fool for falling for him.</p><p> </p><p>"Remind me why we're here again?" Jeffrey said with a look of disgust as he examined all the dusty trinkets in the old antique shop.</p><p>"Because you're my friend, and I need to get this picture framed, and this is the cheapest place I could find. Also, this neighborhood is super sketchy and I needed a bodyguard," you admitted quickly, pulling the large manilla envelope out as you rang the bell at the counter.</p><p>"Uh-huh, yeah. I see that," Jeffrey remarked, glancing around. "And what picture is so important to risk our lives over, might I ask?"</p><p>You opened the envelope and pulled out an 8X10 portrait of Charlie and Henry, the candid shot you took of them right before Christmas and only moments before your miscarriage.</p><p>Jeffrey tilted his head at you. "Wow. Your husband and son look so happy," he teased, not realizing the backstory of it all.</p><p>"Yeah, well. The sooner I can get this picture to Charlie, the faster I can delete it from my phone," you said.</p><p>Jeffrey gave you a curious look. "Why don't you just text it to him? Why are you framing it for him?"</p><p>"Can I help you?" the store clerk asked, already looking annoyed.</p><p>"Hi. Yes, I'd like to have this framed," you requested.</p><p>"I thought you hadn't even talked for like... four days or something..." Jeffrey continued, picking up a small vintage Mickey Mouse trinket and giving it an unimpressed eye roll.</p><p>"We have five selections," the clerk slapped a flimsy brochure down on the counter for you to look at and choose an option.</p><p>"Okay, great," you said, browsing the options carefully, disregarding Jeffrey's rant.</p><p>"I just don't understand why you're going through all this trouble. Like, he has the money to frame it himself..." Jeffrey continued. "At a fancier place, I'm sure."</p><p>The clerk gave Jeffrey a nasty glare as he wiped his hands on his shirt from touching the display items.</p><p>"Does this one come in black?" you asked, pointing to an option and trying your best to ignore his interrogation even though your patience was on edge.</p><p>The clerked sighed heavily, not even looking at the brochure. "No."</p><p>"I mean, this is hardly the kind of sexy gift you'd give to a fuck buddy. I just don't get it..." he pushed.</p><p>You slapped the counter with your hand, having had enough of him giving you a hard time.</p><p>"Because I'm in love with him!!!" you shouted, exasperated from it all.</p><p>The clerk and Jeffrey both paused and stared at you.</p><p>"Fucking Christ..." you groaned, grabbing the picture, shoving it back into the envelope, and walking out of the store, abandoning the idea along with Jeffrey and the clerk.</p><p>"Hey!" Jeffrey shouted, rushing out of the store and jogging to catch up with you.</p><p>You kept your quick pace looking ahead, not wanting any part of his judgment or smart remarks. </p><p>"Will you stop?!" he grabbed you, forcing you to halt your walking and face him.</p><p>He could see the pain and frustration in your eyes. Jeffrey already knew that you had fallen for Charlie before you were even aware, so he was prepared for your moment of self-discovery and possible breakdown.</p><p>"Come here," he said softly, pulling you into a warm hug. It wasn't until he put his arms around you, inviting you to be comforted instead of judged, that you felt yourself finally fall apart. He held you tight as you cried out all the self-resentment and suffering. Although he anticipated this moment, he had never seen you so distraught over someone.</p><p>"Have you told him?" he asked softly as you were both in the embrace.</p><p>You pulled back from him and wiped the tears from your face.</p><p>"Of course not," you bluntly replied. What a ridiculous question, you thought.</p><p>"Maybe you should," he suggested calmly, rubbing your shoulders.</p><p>You looked up at Jeffrey with bloodshot eyes and considered his ridiculousness.</p><p>Maybe you and Charlie had grown together in ways that had changed his perspective. Maybe he was capable of more now. You realized that you needed him to commit if it was going to work. You needed him to be monogamous long enough for trust to be built. It didn't mean that you couldn't have fun with others eventually, but it would have to be a joint decision like your night with Scarlett. The thought of Charlie going off on his own and fucking whomever then coming home to you was out of the question.</p><p>"We make our own rules."</p><p>Those were Charlie's words. Perhaps it was something you could negotiate.</p><p>*****************************************</p><p> </p><p>Charlie spent the last four days consuming himself with a new project; screenwriting. After several conversations with his fellow theater friends, he decided to begin his long-awaited dream of bringing the stories in his own mind to life.</p><p>Although the real motivation behind it was a distraction from you, he did find the act of writing to be therapeutic to his inner demons. He decided his first screenwriting attempt would be a sort of autobiography of his failed marriage. He would deconstruct it and try to tell it through both his perspective and Nicole's.</p><p>Charlie was hunched over his kitchen table, writing away on his laptop when a knock on his front door caught his attention. His heart jumped into his throat as his mind immediately went to you. However, upon opening the door, his heart sank.</p><p>It was Isabel.</p><p>"Charlie," she said, greeting him with a smile.</p><p>Charlie cleared his throat and swallowed. "Isabel," he replied with a straight face. "What are you doing here?"</p><p>She chuckled. "Nice to see you, too," she replied sarcastically. "I used to not need a reason to stop by for a friendly visit."</p><p>Charlie shifted his posture and slowly opened the door, inviting her inside. She stepped through the doorway and into the foyer.</p><p>"Would you like some coffee or tea?" Charlie offered, guiding her into the kitchen. He didn't want her there but she was his boss, after all, so he tried to be cordial.</p><p>Isabel stood in the kitchen, glancing around as she held her Louboutin purse.</p><p>"You don't remember my preference?" she said with a slight tinge of irritation.</p><p>Charlie gave her a knowing look, sighing slowly through his nose before walking over to his cabinet to retrieve the canister of Earl Grey tea. He never drank it but had previously kept it on hand because it was the only tea she preferred. He had almost forgotten it was still in the cupboard.</p><p>Filling up the tea kettle and flicking on the stove, he began boiling the water as he spoke.</p><p>"So, is this just a friendly visit, or is there something else on your mind?" he asked over his shoulder.</p><p>Isabel glanced down at the table and saw the laptop with several notes written on loose papers strung around it.</p><p>"Looks like you're working on something new," she tilted her head to read some of the notations.</p><p>Charlie snapped his head around and promptly shut his laptop, feeling protective of his work. </p><p>"Uh, yeah. It's in the preliminary phase so it's a mess right now," he suggested, giving her a shy grin.</p><p>"Hmm," Isabel smirked to herself, taking a seat in the chair as Charlie scurried to collect the loose papers and put them in pile away from her. "I don't suppose she has anything to do with it?"</p><p>Charlie stayed silent facing away from her as he placed his laptop and paperwork on the kitchen counter.</p><p>"That was quite the show she put on the other night," she continued, resurrecting the night Charlie had been desperately trying to forget.</p><p>It was supposed to be a special night for the both of you. Charlie surprised himself for even wanting to take that big of a step with someone. To him, that was the equivalent of commitment, at least to the extent that he believed he was capable of.</p><p>It wasn't that he didn't want more with you, it was that he didn't feel deserving of more with you. He knew if he promised you anything beyond what he already had, and broke those promises, he would never forgive himself. He didn't believe he could be monogamous anymore and he didn't want to hurt you like Ben did or repeat what he had done to his ex-wife.</p><p>You were exceptional, just like he told you. And you deserved whatever you wanted.</p><p>"She doesn't seem like your type, to be honest," Isabel continued. "She doesn't follow orders, she seems stubborn, and it makes you look weak."</p><p>Isabel studies Charlie's face, looking for truth.</p><p>"She makes you feel weak, too, doesn't she?"</p><p>Charlie tensed his jaw, gazing at the floor. "She doesn't make me feel anything." He sneered.</p><p>It was an obvious lie, one that he was not only telling Isabel but one he was trying to believe himself. He didn't want to think about how much control you had over his emotions.</p><p>The tea kettle began whistling and Charlie broke his focus to attend to it, hoping that Isabel wouldn't actually stay for a whole cup of tea.</p><p>He prepared the cup and brought it over to her.</p><p>She took a sip and hummed in delight. "Mmm. Perfect. Just like always," she smiled.</p><p>Charlie sat across from her with a cup of coffee in front of him that had turned cold from earlier.</p><p>"So there is a reason why I came by," Isabel said, resting her teacup on the table and locking eyes with Charlie.</p><p>"James and I have been in discussion about revamping some of the classes. When we did our review of everything that's offered, it occurred to me that you are the only performer who doesn't have sex during your demonstrations," she said.</p><p>Charlie was taken aback. "That's my choice. I preferred to opt out of that when I signed my contract, which you were fine with."</p><p>"I know, and I respect that. I want my staff to feel safe and comfortable with what they are doing," she continued, taking another sip of tea. "But, I'm just pointing out that it might be time for you to try something new. Grow a little bit. I mean, you're still under contract for another year and a half so you might as well start experimenting so that you can become a more powerful dominant."</p><p>Charlie narrowed his eyes to her. "You're saying I'm not a strong dominant? You trained me."</p><p>"Yes, I did train you. But I see that you're losing your edge. You've become... soft." She said with a casual shrug.</p><p>Charlie paused, looking at her with confusion and offence. "I'm not soft, Isabel."</p><p>She brought her gaze down and scowled at him. "But you are for her. Aren't you, Charlie?"</p><p>He hesitated, remembering the times you took charge, calling him names, belittling him and making him feel inferior. All because he let you. Because he liked it.</p><p>Isabel noticed the change in his demeanor and took advantage. "It's fine. If you're okay with letting a sub walk all over you, that's your call. But the whole reason you came looking for this was to gain power back in your life. You wanted control without all the mess of a traditional relationship holding you back. If you want to throw that away and retreat back to your old ways, I can't stop you." She said plainly as she took another sip of tea.</p><p>"You don't know what you're talking about. You're making some pretty deep assumptions about what's happening in my life right now." Charlie disputed, standing up and walking over to lean against the counter, needing to create a sense of dominance over the conversation.</p><p>Isabel gave him a twisted grin. "I see what you're doing to her, Charlie."</p><p>Charlie's gaze met the floor as he put his hands in his pockets, feeling a bit shameful for letting things go this far with you. She wasn't wrong. He could sense that your feelings for him had grown and instead of trying to pull away, he encouraged it in his own ways.</p><p>"And I see what she's done to you." Isabel continued, tipping her head to meet his lowered gaze.</p><p>Charlie peeked up at her and tensed his jaw. He didn't like to think about it, let alone talk about the way he felt about you. He wanted to believe it was some kind of infatuation; puppy love. Something that would eventually fade away with time and he could move on easily without harm, without heartache and without guilt.</p><p>But somehow Isabel could see it was much more than that even if Charlie didn't want to admit it.</p><p>The air in the room was still and uneasy as Charlie considered her words.</p><p>Isabel stood from the table and walked towards the front door. She turned around before she reached the foyer and looked back at Charlie as he was still leaning against the counter with his head hanging low.</p><p>"You'll never be able to give her what she deserves."</p><p>Her low voice rang through the quiet kitchen before the sound of her shoes echoed through the foyer as she let herself out.</p><p>A veil of tears consumed Charlie as he stood silently, staring into the emptiness in front of him, realizing that she was right. He couldn't offer you anything beyond what he was capable of. And he only felt capable of what he deserved; which wasn't much. He felt unworthy of your love and loyalty because he didn't think he would ever be able to return it back to you.</p><p>You were exceptional.</p><p>And he was nothing compared to you.</p><p>***************************************************</p><p>A light knock on your front door made you perk up from the movie you were watching in bed. It was almost 10 PM and you had just gotten into your PJ's, wondering who was stopping by unannounced this late.</p><p>You froze, stomach sinking to the floor when you saw Charlie through the peephole. You rushed over to the bathroom and adjusted your hair, giving yourself a quick look-over to make sure you didn't have food in your teeth or smeared mascara under your eyes.</p><p>You gently opened the door as he looked up to greet you with a closed mouth grin and worn eyes.</p><p>"Hi," you said softly, giving him the same smile.</p><p>"Hey," his voice was deep and low. "May I come in?"</p><p>You smirked to yourself at the polite request as opposed to him just barging in as he normally would. You opened the door all the way, giving him a silent invitation inside.</p><p>You weren't sure what exactly to expect from this interaction. Was he going to apologize for what happened in the club or were you? Was he going to punish you or were you going to punish him? It seemed the lines of reason and logic were blurred. You had agreed to 'make your own rules' but hadn't made it far enough to actually outline what that looked like for the two of you.</p><p>Charlie stood tall in the middle of the apartment, hands in his coat pockets as he stared at you wide eyed. Once again, you felt uncomfortable in your own home. You walked over to the chair by the window and sat down, curling up in the seat as you offered for him to sit on the foot of the bed.</p><p>You sat perched in the chair waiting for him to begin speaking. But instead he sat down and took a moment to just look around and take in his surroundings. It was as if he wanted to remember the place, the moment, and you.</p><p>A feeling of apprehension snuck up on you.</p><p>"Did you want to talk?" you asked, trying to encourage some kind of conversation.</p><p>Charlie cleared his throat and swallowed, eyes moving to the floor.</p><p>"I'm sorry," he said under his breath.</p><p>You pinched your brow, feeling a small pain in your heart. You wanted to believe he was apologizing for what happened at the club, for flirting with someone in front of you and not calling you for several days after but this felt like a much bigger apology.</p><p>"Sorry... for what?" you asked reluctantly.</p><p>Charlie moved his gaze to meet yours.</p><p>"For leading you on," he said, sincerely.</p><p>You gave him a stunned look. "Leading me on?" you scoffed. "What are you talking about?"</p><p>He stared at you with dark eyes.</p><p>"This has gone too far. And I take full responsibility for that. I was careless with you," he continued as you felt your blood pressure rise. "I got lost in it all and I forgot who I am."</p><p>With your heart in your stomach and throat swelling up, your entire body shifted into survival mode.</p><p>"You're breaking up with me?" your voice began to falter.</p><p>He averted his gaze, eyes back to the floor, and became quiet.</p><p>"Charlie?" you asked, tears beginning to flood against your will to hold them back.</p><p>He swallowed hard. "Yes."</p><p>A force lifted your heart from your stomach and launched it across the room, shattering it to a thousand pieces. Of course he was. Why are you so surprised? He practically told you from the beginning that he was a selfish asshole, and now he was showing you.</p><p>He sensed your emotional state and stood up to console you out of guilt.</p><p>"No," you demanded, causing him to stop in his tracks. "Don't come near me."</p><p>Anger, sadness, shock, and rejection swarmed through your body creating a cocktail of chaos. One minute this man wanted to "own you" and now he wanted nothing to do with you. What kind of wicked game was this?</p><p>He remained standing where he was and you felt your anger come bubbling to the surface.</p><p>"You know what you are, Charlie?" you said, standing up to match him. Charlie stood frozen with sullen eyes. "You're a fucking villain."</p><p>You stepped closer to him, tears falling down your cheeks, face red with fury. "You're a pathetic asshole who can't see past his own selfishness to understand what he has in front of him."</p><p>Charlie's eyes started to fill with tears as you continued berating him. He was making a mistake letting you go and you were determined to give him a piece of your mind.</p><p>"You don't deserve me. So thank you. Thank you for reminding me that you're still too scared to grow up and be a fucking man!" your anger was boiling as you shouted.</p><p>He didn't move from where he was standing, fully absorbing everything you said because he knew you were right, and he deserved every ounce of your rage.</p><p>"Get out." you ordered, irritated with him standing there with nothing else to say for himself.</p><p>He still didn't move, eyes wet and bloodshot as they stared at you.</p><p>You smacked him across the face.</p><p>"Get out!"</p><p>Tears began falling down his cheeks now to match your own and his lip started to quiver from the pain. </p><p>But he still didn't move.</p><p>You shoved him and he stumbled backwards until he was pressed up against the front door.</p><p>"Leave, Charlie!" you cried out, hating yourself for becoming even more emotional at the sight of him crying, too.</p><p>You pushed against his chest, pounding a fist as he flinched under your aggression.</p><p>"Get out... please... I want you out!" you begged. "Don't ever fucking come back."</p><p>Charlie's breath hitched and without a word he was on the other side of the closed door before you fell to your knees, weeping uncontrollably.</p><p>He placed a hand flat against your door, hearing your sobs from the other side, his heart twisting into a coil of sadness and immediate regret.</p><p>He leaned his back up against the hallway wall and slid down until he was seated next to your front door.</p><p>He stayed there, silently crying along with you.</p><p>He broke your heart and his own in the process and because of that, he felt he deserved to hear every painful sob that left you.</p><p>Charlie didn't leave until he heard your crying subside that night.</p><p>You slept on the floor next to your bed, wrapped in your comforter, unable to bring yourself to sleep in the bed he bought.</p><p>You hated him. You had never felt so much heartbreak in your life. You were disappointed in him, in yourself... in everything. Once again you fell for the wrong person and you were paying the price. Love was becoming your enemy.</p><p>Charlie didn't sleep. He sat on his couch, whiskey in hand, replaying every moment he had with you in his head. At that moment, he could finally admit to himself that his feelings for you ran much deeper than lust or infatuation.</p><p>It was love.</p><p>The purest form he'd ever felt.</p><p>And he denied himself of it. Unable to overcome his own lack of self-worth.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Gone</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After the first week of no contact, Charlie had tried texting you. It was something simple.</p><p>"How are you?"</p><p>You didn't respond.</p><p>The second week came and went. He tried calling a couple of times and left some voicemails.</p><p>"I'm sorry..."</p><p>"Please call me..."</p><p>But you didn't answer back.</p><p>By the third week, he was full-blown irritated with waiting for a reply. He needed to see you, to know you were okay. Even if it was just for coffee. He wanted to be near you... hear your voice, see your smile, smell your scent. God forbid, touch your smooth skin even though he knew he wouldn't be redeemed for the pain he caused.</p><p>"Indulgences Spa, how may I help you today?" the receptionist's voice on the phone was soft and soothing.</p><p>"Uh, hi. I'd like to book an appointment with..." he felt a twinge in his heart when he said your name. It was a feeble attempt at trying to see you even if it was against your will. He was desperate, and the hopeful thought that he would get to feel your touch on his body was a selfish move but felt like a necessity. Even if the only touch ended up being a smack across his face again.</p><p>"Oh, I'm sorry, sir. She no longer works here. I could arrange an appointment with another member of our staff if you'd like?"</p><p>Charlie's breath stopped as he froze a moment, the news taking him by surprise. You quit your job? You loved your job.</p><p>"Uh... no. No thank you," He responded then quickly got his thoughts back on track. "How long has she been gone?"</p><p>The receptionist paused as she looked at a calendar.</p><p>"Uhmm... looks like she discontinued appointments a week ago."</p><p>"Okay. Thank you," Charlie hung up and pulled up the calendar on his phone reminding himself how long it had been since the break-up.</p><p>Three weeks.</p><p>He decided to do the thing he promised himself he wouldn't do and stop by your apartment. You told him to never come back but he was beginning to worry about you since you wouldn't answer his calls, texts and apparently had quit your job. He was hoping it was all for something good that had happened. Maybe you found a better job or landed a big paying role in a theater company. But he would've heard about the latter of the two through his circle of friends.</p><p>*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*</p><p>His heart raced as he patiently waited for you to answer your door. Anticipating some sign of life from the other side so he could at least know you were okay.</p><p>He moved his ear closer to the door but heard nothing. Pure silence. He knocked again, pounding louder this time.</p><p>The only noise from the entire hallway was the faint commotion of a neighbors dog barking from down the hall.</p><p>He knew he shouldn't but he reached into his pocket and pulled out his keys, shuffling them to find yours. He inserted the key into the deadbolt and paused, waiting to see if there was any indication that you heard it, and came running to at least stop him.</p><p>But you didn't.</p><p>So he turned the key and slowly opened the door only to be astounded again by what he saw.</p><p>The bed was gone, a small twin mattress and frame were pushed up against the wall to replace it and open boxes were sitting all over the floor halfway packed.</p><p>It felt like the wind had been knocked out of his chest.</p><p>You were leaving.</p><p>He walked over to your bed and sat down, needing a minute to process everything. Your apartment was the last place that connected the two of you. If you moved to another apartment and switched jobs, he wouldn't be able to find you anymore. He wondered if that was part of the plan.</p><p>He glanced over to your nightstand and saw a large envelope with his name and address on it. It looked like a piece of mail that you hadn't sent to him yet. The envelope wasn't sealed so he picked it up and opened it.</p><p>Tears welled up in his eyes suddenly when he pulled out the picture of him and Henry. He had no idea you even captured the candid moment of them sitting on the couch reading together. It was beautiful.</p><p>Sorrow overcame him remembering what happened right after that moment. How he found you in his shower, the blood, the tears, the grief.</p><p>He put the picture back as he found it, not wanting to take something that didn't belong to him just yet. You hadn't mailed it for a reason so maybe you wanted to keep it. That thought warmed his heart.</p><p>He stood to leave, still not feeling any better, or having any idea where you were, let alone where you were going.</p><p>Charlie sat in a cafe that afternoon in your neighborhood, hoping that maybe you'd come strolling in while you were out and about. He tried to work on his writing but was distracted every few minutes whenever the door opened.</p><p>He walked up to the counter. "Another latte, please," he requested from the barista.</p><p>"Wow, that's your fourth one. Pretty impressive," the barista commented, taking his payment and making eyes at him.</p><p>Charlie smiled back. "Yeah, I guess I'm hardcore like that," he joked back.</p><p>The pretty barista laughed. "Well, just let me know if you need anything else... Mr. Barber," she said sweetly.</p><p>Charlie shouldn't be surprised that she knew his name but he was still getting used to the growing fame he was gaining through town. He took his coffee and sat back down, looking back over to her as she gave him a grin and bit her lip.</p><p>An image of you biting your lip flashed into his mind. He tried to remember the last time he even had sex. For once, he wasn't on the constant hunt for it. He still did his performances at the club every week but stood his ground against Isabel on not having sex on stage.</p><p>He took a minute to recount the days and now weeks since he last had sex and felt dumbfounded. The last time was with you, in your room, on your bed right before your outburst at the club. Almost four weeks ago.</p><p>He remembered the moment vividly now. How different it felt from previous times. How beautiful you looked, how amazing you felt under him, looking into his eyes with such devotion, such passion...</p><p>Such love.</p><p> </p><p>"Charlie?"</p><p>A familiar female's voice interrupted his thoughts.</p><p>"Scarlett... hey," he stood to greet her with a half-hearted hug.</p><p>"Funny running into you here... I thought you lived further west," she said, looking just as charming as always with her beautiful smile and flowing, brown hair.</p><p>"Uh, yeah. Yeah, I do. Um... do you have a few minutes to chat? I would actually appreciate the company if you have the time," Charlie asked, glancing down at the table and indicating to the chair across from his.</p><p>"Of course," Scarlett pulled the chair out and took a seat, placing her coffee down on the table.</p><p>Charlie lingered a moment before speaking.</p><p>"Has she reached out to you lately?" he asked, jumping right in to see if Scarlett knew anything about the break-up.</p><p>Scarlett looked down at her coffee and nodded, avoiding eye contact.</p><p>"I know... I know, it was a messed up thing to do," he said, trying to recover but Scarlett interrupted him.</p><p>"Yeah, it was. You should've at least been honest with her about everything," she commented.</p><p>Feeling defensive, Charlie spoke up. "I was honest. I didn't lie to her about anything, I told her from the beginning who I was and that I couldn't promise her much," he argued.</p><p>"You never told her about Isabel. Who she really is. I had to explain to her that Isabel owns the club and she found out on her own that Isabel trained you and you had some kind of... relationship with her."</p><p>Charlie swallowed at her words and leaned back, realizing that the only admission he ever gave you regarding Isabel was that she wasn't in his life right now. Which wasn't totally true. She was his boss and he did still see her on a regular basis because of that. Even though they hadn't been intimate since he'd been with you, the fact that he kept her identity a secret was a failed venture on his part.</p><p>"I wanted to keep her away from Isabel as much as possible. You know how toxic she can be," Charlie reasoned.</p><p>"I hardly know Isabel like you do. I've met her a handful of times at the club and she has always been very pleasant and courteous to me," Scarlett said, sipping on her coffee.</p><p>"Well, assure you, it's all an act. She's a fabulous actress, she should be on Broadway," Charlie responded sarcastically.</p><p>Charlie held his phone in his hand and stared at it.</p><p>"I'm worried about her. She won't answer my calls or texts. Did you know she quit her job at the spa?" He asked, looking at Scarlett wide-eyed.</p><p>"Yes, I know," she said softly.</p><p>Scarlett appeared uncomfortable with the line of questioning as if she was told to withhold details about you.</p><p>"I can't find her," he continued. "I stopped by her apartment and... I know she's moving. Once that happens, I won't know how to find her anymore."</p><p>Scarlett watched Charlie confess his concerns and felt sympathetic.</p><p>"Maybe that's what she wants," she offered some perspective, confirming his own suspicions.</p><p>His heart twisted in his chest, knowing that if Scarlett was saying it, it must be true.</p><p>You didn't want him in your life anymore. And he couldn't blame you.</p><p>"How... is she doing? Is she okay?" Charlie needed Scarlett to give him something at this point.</p><p>Scarlett sighed deeply and crossed her arms.</p><p>"The truth?" she shrugged. "No. She's not herself. I'm honestly pretty pissed at you. Whatever you guys were... it meant something to her. And I think she tried to keep things casual, but..." she trailed off.</p><p>"Why'd you do it?" she changed the subject and pointed the question at Charlie. "I mean, what did you expect to gain out of this with her?"</p><p>Charlie stared at Scarlett for a moment.</p><p>"I don't know. She made me feel... distinctive. Like I was showing her the world and letting her come to life in it," Charlie said, thinking back to how vulnerable he let himself be with you. "I felt safe and accepted, without it being fake. She would call me out on my bullshit, I hardly got away with much," he smirked. "...but we would find common ground. It felt real, and I felt alive."</p><p>Scarlett narrowed her eyes at him.</p><p>"It wasn't perfect. I know that. But it was-"</p><p>"Do you love her?" Scarlett interrupted him.</p><p>Charlie reflected, gaze moving from Scarlett to his hands that were fiddling with his pen.</p><p>He stayed silent, not admitting anything of substance aloud but also not denying it, either.</p><p>"Are you really that closed off, Charlie?" Scarlett pushed. "You won't even admit something that's so obvious to yourself?"</p><p>"It's not that simple," he answered.</p><p>"But it is. It is that simple. That's what you don't see. You are choosing to make this difficult," she argued.</p><p>Charlie considered her words for a moment.</p><p>"I don't want to hurt her," he reasoned.</p><p>"Well, that's ironic considering you already have," Scarlett stood up and grabbed her coffee. "If she's ever ready to see you again, she knows how to get ahold of you. Until then, you should give her some time. As I said, she's not herself right now."</p><p>Scarlett left Charlie sitting alone at the table to muddle over their conversation. He stayed for one more latte, not acknowledging the cute barista on his way out. He scanned the sidewalks up and down for you before giving up and going home.</p><p>Another week came with no communication from you. Charlie figured the growing time away from you would eventually help him move on but all it did was dull the sharpness of the chronic pain. You were still with him every minute of every day as he wrote, cooked, did the dishes, met up with friends, and of course, when he laid down to sleep every night.</p><p>It was going on midnight and he was wide awake, lying naked in his bed after a shower. He stared at the ceiling above him and ran his hand through his damp hair, letting out a large exhale as you came to mind.</p><p>Masturbation has become Charlie's new nightly routine but he was finding it difficult tonight to even think sexual thoughts. He reached for his phone from the nightstand and started scrolling through Twitter and Instagram. He had accounts but hardly posted anything, as he found social media to be a huge disruption to creativity. Tonight, though, he welcomed the distraction.</p><p>It was mostly all the same mind-numbing articles, rants, and political humor. However, his scrolling on Instagram abruptly halted when he saw your username. You rarely posted much, either, only have three total pictures on your account.</p><p>He studied the photograph of two cocktails sitting on a table with the glow of red light illuminating in the background. There was no one in the photo but Charlie noticed a familiar hand reaching for one of the glasses. He narrowed his eyes and sat up in bed, feeling a rush of horror, knowing all too well who it belonged to.</p><p>James.</p><p>The caption read: Drinks and dancing.</p><p>For a second he thought he might actually get sick. Why the hell were you out with James of all people?</p><p>He pulled up his texts, looking at the last few he had sent to you that went unanswered. Gripping the phone, he started to feel a flurry of emotions ranging from jealousy to worry to sadness.</p><p>He started typing a new text.</p><p>"I'm coming by tomorrow. We need to talk."</p><p>Sent.</p><p>He laid back down and sighed. James was not someone he wanted you to be around. He was a poisonous snake; a corrupt playboy and Charlie knew for sure that he was dealing illegal drugs out of the club on the down-low. He only knew that because he had done coke with James when he first joined, mostly out of social pressures. Charlie learned to finally avoid him and not overindulge any longer, reminding himself that he had a son and responsibilities outside of the club that needed his full attention and awareness.</p><p>He recalled the conversation he had with Scarlett a week ago and how she revealed that you weren't acting like yourself. A weight of guilt haunted him, knowing that whatever destructive behavior you were up to was his own fault. If anything, he needed to help you get back out of the darkness he cast over you.</p><p>********************************************</p><p>The next day Charlie stood at your apartment door and knocked several times before giving up and using his key like last time. </p><p>Only his key didn't work now. The locks had been changed and he knew it meant that you were officially gone. He held the doorknob for a lingering moment, knowing that you had touched it recently and he desperately wanted a piece of you. He was running out of things in his life that was all you. </p><p>Stepping out of the Uber and walking back up to his brownstone, he checked his mailbox along the way. His heart jumped into his throat when he saw the large envelope that he found on your nightstand. </p><p>Frowning, he walked into his foyer, placing the rest of the mail on the entry table before slowly opening it to discover what he already knew. He pulled the picture of him and Henry out and gave it a somber grin. There was something else at the bottom of the envelope so he tipped it upside down, letting it fall out onto his hand. </p><p>It was the bracelet he gave you with his initials engraved on it.</p><p>He grasped it tightly in his fist, checking the envelope for a note but there was nothing else. You had nothing to say to him, not even a "fuck you", and for some reason, your silence hurt more than you giving back the bracelet. Maybe silence was the "fuck you" message. </p><p>He wouldn't let it stop him from finding you.</p><p>Charlie rode the elevator down to The Red Room that evening, feeling mentally exhausted from his commitment to the club. He considered breaking his contract and just figuring out another way to supplement his income. He could make sacrifices to his comfortable life if it meant more peace of mind. He could even find other ways to fulfill his emotional needs for control. Writing had been doing wonders on his mental wellbeing so maybe he could pursue more of that and make good money doing so.</p><p>He mindlessly went about his classes that evening, showing zero enthusiasm for the action of it all. Nothing felt the same anymore. All the joy he gained from this environment had quickly diminished since you were no longer apart of it. It all just seemed so pointless now.</p><p>Once his show was over, he walked out of the room, pausing a moment in the hallway as clients left and thanked him for the class. His attention was drawn behind him, down the long corridor to the private elevator that belongs to Isabel. She and James were stepping onto it with someone else that looked slightly familiar.</p><p>Charlie squinted his eyes, trying to see who was standing under the dimly lit elevator lights in between them.</p><p>His breath stopped when your heavy eyes met his gaze. He hardly recognized you since everything about your appearance seemed darker than usual;  your clothes, your hair, your eyes, your dismal smile that lacked any sign of life. He took a few prompt steps towards the elevator as you watched him with no reaction. Isabel was preoccupied with her phone, but James saw Charlie and gave him a devious grin just as the doors closed.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Once the elevator jolted and began its ascent, James smirked and looked over to you. "Looks like your boyfriend's jealous."</p><p>"Don't call him that," you quickly replied.</p><p>"Sorry, sweetheart. I just can't help putting salt in the wound. It's what I do," he smugly shrugged. </p><p>"Leave her alone, James," Isabel warned, eyes never leaving her phone. "You know she'll bite back."</p><p>James snickered. "Yeah, I know. That's what I like about her," he said, slipping his hand around your waist as you elbowed his ribcage. "Ahh!!" he hissed, grabbing his side. "Such a rough little kitten."</p><p>You sighed, stepping away from him and pulling out your phone.  Another text from Charlie had just chimed in.</p><p>"Tell me that's not you."</p><p>You sent back a wink emoji and nothing else.</p><p>Surprisingly, when you saw him just seconds ago, you didn't feel the same butterflies as you had so many times before. Maybe it was because you had just witnessed the conclusion of his act as you walked past the room and seeing his hands on another woman was the last straw.</p><p>Your heart was stone. </p><p>You stepped off the elevator and followed Isabel to her office with James trailing behind you, checking out your ass as you strutted in your tight, designer dress and heels.</p><p>Isabel walked around her desk and took a seat in her oversized chair as you sat across from her, crossing your legs and leaning back. James attempted to sit in the chair next to you but Isabel 'tsked' him.</p><p>"Pour us some champagne, James. This is a celebratory moment and should be recognized," Isabel declared, giving you a charming smile as she ordered him around. She reached over and grabbed a pen, shuffling through the paperwork on her desk.</p><p>She passed you a neatly stacked pile of documents across her desk and laid the pen on top.</p><p>James brought over three glasses of champagne, giving one to Isabel and another to you.</p><p>You leaned over, grabbed the pen, and signed your name at the bottom of the contract without hesitation, granting you full governance over all the submissives in the club while Isabel took on the dominants. </p><p>Isabel watched you intently as you scribbled your name and she glanced up at James who was smiling as he hovered over you.</p><p>She held up her glass. </p><p>"To the new Mistress."</p>
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<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Vengeance</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Disclaimer: where to begin... uhmm: We do some party drugs, there's some voyeurism, we emotionally torture Charlie, we try to dissociate.  A moment of major dubcon between Y/N and Charlie.</p><p>A/N: So, we didn't take the break-up well. Y/N may do and say things that you don't agree with and that make her unlikeable, but that's okay. Sometimes we don't like ourselves when we become resentful and jaded. You might find that because we have shifted to see things through Charlie's POV, he may become the more likable character now. Or not. Everyone is kind of a selfish ass right now. </p><p>Life tip: Revenge hardly solves relationship issues in real life. But it's so ✨delicious✨.<br/>Thanks for reading, it truly means the world to me. - Nicole</p><p> </p><p>*************************************</p><p> </p><p>Charlie rode the elevator up to Isabel's office, his thoughts in a daze as he tried to understand why he saw you with her and James last night. He wondered how long you'd been engaging with them and just how much of an influence they had on you.</p><p>He took long strides out of the elevator once the doors opened, quickly walking past the receptionist's desk and paying no mind to her insisting that Isabel wasn't available. He didn't have an appointment, so the receptionist lept up from her chair and hurried to stop him but he was too far ahead of her when abruptly swung open the office door.</p><p>Isabel was bent over her desk as James fucked her from behind, pencil skirt bunched up around her waist as he trusted into her, not missing a beat from the interruption.</p><p>Charlie stopped in the doorway, rolling his eyes and shaking his head at the ridiculous display, the receptionist tugging at Charlie's arm to remove him.</p><p>"I'm sorry Ms. Porter, he wouldn't stop," she said as she kept pulling on him although he didn't budge.</p><p>Isabel's awareness moved to Charlie as James was still focused on her ass moving back and forth on him.</p><p>"It's fine. Come in and close the door," she told Charlie in between her heavy breathing.</p><p>Grudgingly, Charlie shut the door behind him and crossed his arms. "We need to talk."</p><p>Isabel whined, "Talk? Talking is so boring. Why don't you join us," she insisted with a smile.</p><p>Charlie smirked, "I'd rather claw my own eyes out," he casually walked over to the beverage cart and poured himself a cup of coffee. He turned, took a sip, and nodded at them. "By all means, finish each other off. I'll just be here waiting."</p><p>Isabel scoffed, shoving James off of her, "You used to be fun, Charlie," she scolded.</p><p>"Fucking shit, Isabel! At least let me cum," James urged, stroking his swollen cock as she smoothed out her skirt. She seized James' jaw with her hand. "If you keep yourself hard, I'll let you cum like the nasty boy you are," she muttered against his lips before tracing her tongue across them. "Now go sit over there," she dictated, motioning to the leather sofa against the wall.</p><p>Charlie watched Isabel's dominance over James and he was reminded of you doing it to him. He felt his cock twitch recalling how you ordered him around during the threesome with Scarlett. </p><p>He sat his cup down and walked over to Isabel's desk, trying to refocus his mind to the purpose of his uninvited attendance. </p><p>"Why was she here yesterday?" Charlie demanded.</p><p>Isabel sat down in her chair, leaned back, and lit a cigarette with a curious expression.</p><p>"She came here on her own free will," she said, blowing smoke from her mouth.</p><p>"Don't bullshit me. Why was she here?" he pushed.</p><p>Isabel glanced over to James who was still stroking his cock, eagerly trying not to lose his erection. "I offered her a new perspective. She came to me a few weeks ago, we had some meetings, I showed her a new life, and she chose to take it."</p><p>Charlie knew exactly was that meant because it was how Isabel lured him into signing his contract; the same contract he was considering breaking because he was growing bored of the lifestyle and Isabel's antics. But if you had also signed a contract, that changed everything for him. He wasn't going to leave you in the hands of James and Isabel.</p><p>"A new life..." he repeated with distaste. "What have you done to her?"</p><p>Isabel narrowed her eyes at Charlie and took another slow drag.</p><p>"Far less than you," she tilted her brow, letting the smoke creep from her lips as she spoke.</p><p>Charlie sharply exhaled, turned on his heel, and marched out of Isabel's office, slamming the door in the process.</p><p>James was still on the couch in near agony at this point, thick length in hand. Isabel reached over and opened the bottom drawer of her desk and pulled out a strap-on. </p><p>"Come here, dirty boy," she said teasingly as she put out the cigarette in a crystal ashtray. "I have just what you need."</p><p>James bit his bottom lip and grinned, standing up to walk over to Isabel, letting his pants fall down to his ankles as he shuffled over to her with delight.</p><p> </p><p>Meanwhile, Charlie exited the building and stood on the sidewalk, pulling out his phone and dialing your number. He didn't anticipate you to answer since you were still avoiding him but he would at least leave you another voicemail. </p><p>"Hello."</p><p>His heart stopped when he heard your flat voice. He said your name in the form of a question even though he knew it was you, sounding less than enthusiastic to hear from him.</p><p>"...is it really you?" he asked, still perplexed that you even answered his call.</p><p>"Who is this?" your voice has a hint of sarcasm which just proved it was really you.</p><p>Charlie scoffed. "That's cute. I see you haven't lost your wit," he replied in the same tone, sighing deeply. "Can we talk? I feel like things have gotten a little out of control."</p><p>"I don't want to hear anything else you have to say to me, Charlie," you remarked in a confident manner, taking him by surprise. </p><p>His jaw tensed as he chewed on his cheek, hating how his name sounded coming from your lips. He knew the days of his nickname were over but he still felt like you should refer to him as 'daddy' no matter what.</p><p>"Don't... say my name," he groaned in a deep voice. </p><p>You cleared your throat, feeling like you didn't owe him anything except what you deemed to be appropriate and enjoyable. And right now, you wanted to make him suffer.</p><p>"I'll tell you what, Charlie. I'll be at The Red Room tonight. You wanna talk? You can find me there."</p><p>The line went dead and Charlie pulled the phone away from his ear and stared at it in his hand, dumbfounded. </p><p>You put your phone down on your dresser and walked back over to your King-sized four-poster bed, letting yourself collapsed onto your back. You kept the bed he bought, making sure to fuck someone else in it often enough to make it feel more and more like your own property. It looked perfect in your new luxury apartment that overlooked the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan skyline from the bedroom window.</p><p>A soft hand placed a lit joint in your mouth and you puffed. "Can I go down on you again?" the sweet voice whispered.</p><p>You exhaled the smoke from your lips. "Yes. Don't stop until I tell you."</p><p>Her touch on you was immediate, hungry, and seductive. You stared at the ceiling, letting the sensations of her warm tongue mingle with the high that was creeping through your muscles. </p><p>The feeling of numbness and stimulation danced in your veins as you reached between your legs and clutched her hair in your fists. You arched your back and moaned, letting your eyes close as you pictured Charlie's mouth on your aching cunt. </p><p>You hated that he came to mind every single time, no matter who belonged to the hands that wandered your body.  </p><p>You moved your hips in circles, feeling the tingles wash over you. "Yes... do it, daddy... just like that..." you whimpered, to which she buried her face into you further and hummed against your bundle of nerves. </p><p>This was your new nightly routine. Letting a submissive get you off while you hopelessly failed at trying to think of anyone else. Cumming hard every time at the image of Charlie's eyes burning into yours, lips parted, hot breath tickling your skin. </p><p>I need you.</p><p>Those words replayed in your mind like a shitty broken record, every hour of every day. Sometimes the drugs would help, sometimes the booze would help, sometimes the sex would help. But he was still with you. All the time. A leech on your heart, sucking it dry. No one had ever provoked you to act out in such self-destructive ways before. </p><p>And you hated him for it.</p><p> </p><p>***********************************</p><p> </p><p>Charlie arrived at the club that night, dressed to the nines, not wanting to appear out of sorts when he could finally see you in person. He wore his white button-up loose around the collar with a navy suit, complete with his expensive watch and hair perfectly pushed back from his freshly shaven face. </p><p>He stood at the bar, waiting for the old fashioned he ordered, and glanced at the time on his watch. You never told him what time you'd be there so he had to wait it out, which he hated. He wasn't a patient man by any means and you knew that about him, which made this whole charade even more fun to you.</p><p>"Charlie, my brother," James slapped Charlie's shoulder, stepping up to the bar. "Been a while since I've seen you here outside of working hours."</p><p>Charlie grabbed his drink from the bartender, greeting James with a small nod, shaking the memory of seeing him fuck Isabel earlier that day. "Yeah, well I wouldn't say I'm here to have fun, exactly," he insisted, eyes scanning the room for any sign of you.</p><p>James smirked, hailing the bartender for another round. "She really did a number on you. I mean, I get it. With an ass like that and the attitude? Shit, man. She's a real piece of work. Makes you fight for it," he grinned.</p><p>Charlie had never wanted to punch someone more in his life, hearing James talk about you like that. Like you were his. </p><p>Charlie stepped in closer to James, causing him to straightened his casual posture. "Listen to me. I don't know what crazy shit you've done with her, but it stops now," his voice was stern and demanding.</p><p>James looked over Charlie's shoulder and cocked his brow, smirking at the sight of you walking into the club.</p><p>"Why don't you have a chat with her about that," he said, nodding your way. Charlie turned his head and saw your figure walking towards him. </p><p>You looked immaculate in a long, form-fitting, black dress that exposed the length of your leg with a high slit to the side. Different pieces of jewelry completed the look with some accessories that wrapped around your body, complementing your curves. </p><p>Charlie's eyes looked you up and down several times as you approached him. You were the definition of a temptress. </p><p>You took the alcohol from his hand and indulged yourself before greeting him.</p><p>You swallowed the booze, letting the warm bourbon coat your throat. "Charlie," you said seductively, passing the glass back to him. He looked as if he was in a state of shock, eyes heavy on you as you moved around him.</p><p>He whispered your name in response.</p><p>"You look..." he wanted to say 'beautiful' but held back the urge, not wanting to encourage whatever was happening with you. "...good."</p><p>You smirked, taking a deep breath, seeming unimpressed. "Is that what you came here to tell me? That I look good?" You gave him a once over, scanning him from head to toe. "In that case, you look like hell."</p><p>James snickered from behind Charlie, taking a sip of his drink. </p><p>Charlie glanced behind him then back at you. "Can we talk in private?"</p><p>You held your hands out, gesturing to the club. "This isn't really a private kind of place, but we could probably find a dark corner," you referred.</p><p>Charlie was struggling to not react to your bratty attitude as he kept the waters calm long enough to find out what was going on with you. </p><p>He grabbed your wrist to lead you to one of the back rooms but you snatched it away from him. You heard him groan in frustration as you followed him, smiling to yourself.</p><p>He stopped to peek into one of the classrooms that was mostly empty and placed his hand on the small of your back, guiding you inside. You walked to a secluded area of the room, found a chair, and sat down, crossing your leg just so it would be fully exposed to him in a teasing manner. He remained standing in front of you, gazing down with his cocktail held close to his torso. His eyes wandered momentarily down your body, wanting so badly to touch your creamy skin.</p><p>"What's going on?" he asked softly.</p><p>You peeked up at him and shrugged. "Not much, what's going on with you?" you said casually, reaching for his drink again but he drew it away from your hand. </p><p>"Did you sign a contract with Isabel?" his voice was strict. </p><p>You leaned back into the chair and crossed your arms, staring daggers at him.</p><p>"How is that any of your business, Charlie?" you replied with a sneer.</p><p>Charlie pressed his lips together, feeling frustrated as he took a long drink of his cocktail. </p><p>"So what, then? What did you agree to? Because I can guarantee whatever she's promised you means nothing," he argued.</p><p>You stood up and slowly moved towards him. "Kind of like you?" you called him out, looking at him dead in the eye.</p><p>Charlie felt a sharpness in his chest. Some clients began crowding into the room for the next demonstration. You glimpsed over his shoulder, knowing who was scheduled to be on stage since you were in charge of it all now.</p><p>You nonchalantly reached between your bodies and placed your hands on Charlie's belt, unbuckling it with your eyes locked on his. He flinched slightly from the unexpected move but didn't stop you. He was entranced by the subtle touch of your hands near his waist, hoping that you'd move under his clothing, marrying skin to skin so he could feel you again. He was starving for you.</p><p>"Why don't I just show you what I've agreed to," you whispered, sliding his belt off his hips and folding it in half with your hand once it was removed. You walked over to the submissive who about to enter the room, whispering something to her as she nodded and turned to walk away.</p><p>You proceeded back in and stood on stage, under the beaming light, holding Charlie's belt down by your side. Just the sight of you on stage offended him. He remained standing, eyes glaring at you as everyone else in the room took their seats.</p><p>Another figure approached the light from behind you. A dominant, named Antonio, traced his hand over your shoulder, down the length of your arm, and took the belt from your grasp. You saw Charlie clutch his glass, hand starting to tremble from rage at the mere sight of another man's touch on you. </p><p>Antonio led you over to attach your wrists to two hanging cuffs from above, stretching the length of your body upwards as your toes pressed against the floor. </p><p>Charlie was breathing fire, watching you prepare for what could only be described as his worst nightmare as Antonio caressed your body, walking behind you with the belt and snapping it loudly. </p><p>You closed your eyes, ready for the pain to radiate from your backside when you heard a commotion and a few people gasping. Opening your eyes and turning your gaze, you saw Charlie grabbing Antonio's arm to stop him from spanking you with his own belt. Antonio didn't hesitate in giving him what he wanted, already knowing who Charlie was and his claim to you from the night you showed up on a leash.</p><p>You swallowed hard, not expecting the sudden shift in dominants and worried about what Charlie would do next. Emotionally, you weren't ready to be touched by him again. Although, physically, you yearned for it. </p><p>Charlie stepped behind you, taking his time to admire how you looked. He brushed his hand down your hair, trailing down your spine until he reached your ass. You shivered under his touch, having craved it for over a month. He took a moment to remove his jacket and roll up his sleeves as you dangled, dripping in anticipation. </p><p>You tried to dissociate so you could just get through it but when you felt his mouth near your ear, your whole body tensed.</p><p>"Is this what you want, bad girl? You want daddy to spank you in front of all these people?" he whispered, hot breath seeping over your skin. You felt him graze the belt across your dress, down your back, and circling your backside. </p><p>You didn't want to give into him. But some sadistic part of you wanted to feel physical pain at that moment. So you agreed and within a second you felt the leather belt send shockwaves through your body. You yelped at the impact on your ass, twisting your body as the pain slowly melted into pleasure. </p><p>A surge of satisfaction rolled through Charlie, a feeling of power and true excitement, something didn't exist in his world without you in it. He placed his hand on your belly, feeling you squirm from the pain.</p><p>"It's okay, princess, I've got you," he whispered in your ear again before you felt another rush of pain hit you.</p><p>His words sent deep cuts, inflicting much more pain than his belt. An uncontrollable sob escaped you. </p><p>Onlookers seemed invested in what was happening, finding it curious that you both appeared so emotionally connected to each other.</p><p>Charlie refrained from the act of spanking, moving his hands under your dress, carefully removing your black lace panties. He was hungry for you, almost forgetting that there was a crowd of people studying his every move. He put your panties in his pocket, thrilled at the idea of taking home a souvenir with your scent on it.</p><p>He looped the belt around your neck from behind and pressed his body against your back. With his solid frame pressing against you, you felt his hard cock at your lower back. He wrapped his arm around your waist while his other hand held the belt against your throat at the nape of your neck.</p><p>Every cell in your body was at war with each other, equally yearning for his touch and wanting to smack the shit of out him for making you crumble. His hand met your aching pussy and you heard him groan under his breath. </p><p>"God, I've missed this," his deep whisper from behind pushed you over the edge.</p><p>"Scarlett!" </p><p>You had never used your safe-word before now but didn't even hesitate, needing to free yourself from the torture of it all. </p><p>Charlie felt instant guilt as he immediately released the belt, letting it drop to the floor and walked in front of you to release the cuffs.</p><p>"Are you alright? Was I too rough?" he asked with concern, cupping your face. </p><p>You pushed his hands away, not saying anything to him, but rather addressing the room.</p><p>"Show's over."</p><p>You struggled to hold it together but managed to walk out of the room appearing confident and unphased. </p><p>You marched down the corridor, back to the main hall, scanning the room for James. You saw him sitting on a sofa with two women on either side of him as he attempted to charm them.</p><p>He saw you approaching and smiled, leaning forward in his seat. "What's wrong, sweetheart? Charlie being mean?" he teased, sticking out his bottom lip in a pouting manner.</p><p>"Give it to me," you demanded, holding your palm out face up.</p><p>James gave you a sinister grin. "Come on, kitten, that's not how you ask for it."</p><p>You scoffed, rolling your eyes. You noticed Charlie was in the main hall now but hadn't seen you yet. You looked back over to James who was holding the pill in between in fingers, ready to hand it over as long as you begged for it like he wanted.</p><p>You lowered yourself to your knees, giving him an evil glare. </p><p>"That's better. On your fucking knees for me like a good little girl," his voice was dark as he moved the pill to your mouth. "Open."</p><p>You parted your lips, letting him place the drug on your tongue.</p><p>You swallowed it, grabbing the shot glass of unidentified booze that James was holding, and you finished it off.</p><p>"I wouldn't chase it with that if I were you..." he warned as you did exactly that.</p><p>Ecstasy had quickly become your party drug of choice and James knew that always having it on hand for you. Now you just had to wait for it to kick in and let a surge of endorphins take over.</p><p>"What the hell did you just take?" Charlie stood behind you. He looked over at James, "What did you give her?"</p><p>"Relax man, it's just some molly. She'll be fine," James leaned back into the couch, seeming uninterested in Charlie's concern.</p><p>Charlie leaned down to help you up, but you resisted. "Stop fucking around and stand up," he ordered, feeling impatient.</p><p>You stood on your own, turning to face him. "What the hell do you want from me, Charlie??"</p><p>"I want you to stop acting reckless and talk to me," he grabbed your bicep to earn your full attention. "I know I did shitty things to you and said shitty things but you can't just shut the world off." </p><p>He hated seeing you like this, and if anything just wanted to help you sober up so you both could have a meaningful conversation. He wanted to tell you about his desire to quit the club and making sure you got out of your contract in the process. And if you allowed it, he wanted your forgiveness. He wanted to start over with you.</p><p>You felt the beginnings of your high start to take effect much sooner than expected due to chasing it with whatever James had in his glass. </p><p>Your body became sluggish. "I just want to feel good," you admitted, having had the same reaction after you caught Ben cheating. You saw Charlie's face turn from irritated to sympathetic. </p><p>You felt him pick you up bridal style, and you relaxed into his body, surrendering to the feeling of his strength as the pleasure in your veins heightened.</p><p>He carried you out of the club and released you once in the elevator, letting you stand in front of him as it traveled up to his private room. He kept his hands around your waist, keeping you stable as your body swayed from side to side. Once the doors opened, he picked you back up and carried you to his room, finally placing you down on the large bed. </p><p>You groaned, "No... I don't wanna be here... with your stupid face," you slurred, trying to crawl to the edge of the bed. "I wanna go back and dance." Charlie poured a glass of water and brought it over to you.</p><p>"Here. You need to hydrate yourself," he held the water glass out to you. You dismissed him lazily with your hand. He put the glass down on the nightstand and pulled you to sit up at the edge of the bed.</p><p>He handed you the glass again and you begrudgingly took it, sipping on it for a long moment.</p><p>"Good. That's good," he said, encouraging your new behavior.</p><p>You glared up at him and pulled the glass away from your lips, pursing them together and spitting the water out like a fountain as it splattered onto his shoes. </p><p>Charlie exhaled, puffing out his cheeks, "Of course..." he said, shaking his head. "I get it. You're a bad girl. What is it that you want, then?" he shrugged.</p><p>You considered his words for a moment, letting the high roll through your body, aching to be touched but not wanting to succumb to him.</p><p>You pulled out your phone and sent a text. Charlie furrowed his brow, watching you type.</p><p>You tossed your phone to the side and looked back up at him. "You wanted to talk, right?" you asked. "I'll talk to you... in fact, we can chat all night, if you want... after you watch someone else make me cum."</p><p>Charlie shook his head at you. "What?! No." he scoffed at your idea. "Why are you doing this?"</p><p>"Because if it hurts, then you'll remember," you said, throwing his own logic back at him.</p><p>He felt defeated, not at all wanting to participate in the game you wanted to play but also knowing that it was warranted in some way. Even during the good times when you were together, he was still working at the club, doing sexual things with other women. It was his turn to see it from the other side. </p><p>A knock on the door caught Charlie's attention before he looked back down at you. You stood up with shaky knees, slipping your heels off so you could leverage your balance better. "Go sit over there," you ordered, motioning to a chair in the corner of the room.</p><p>Charlie didn't move as you walked over to answer the door.</p><p>James stood in the doorway, grinning from ear to ear.</p><p>"I was told my services are needed," he said smugly.</p><p>"Oh, for fucks sake!" Charlie exclaimed, gesturing with disgust to James. "Him?? Really?!"</p><p>You summoned James inside, knowing that it was the last person Charlie would ever want to witness touching you. You had never allowed James lay a hand on you before tonight, so he was elated to get your text.</p><p>He tried wrapping his arms around your waist but you nudged him away. "No, you only get to touch me when I say so, and only when I say so," you explained, walking back into the room as he followed you on your heels. "Get on the bed," you directed him.</p><p>He started removing his clothes and you snapped back. "Did I fucking say get naked? Get on the bed, and wait." James bit his bottom lip and eagerly lept onto the bed, resting on his side and propping his head up. </p><p>You glanced over at Charlie who was watching you with an almost dreadful look in his eyes.</p><p>"I thought I told you to sit down," you scornfully pointed to the chair in the corner. </p><p>Charlie exhaled sharply and walked over to the chair, taking a seat. He leaned forward and rested his forearms on his knees, staring at the floor in front of him.</p><p>He fell into an instant state of nausea as soon as you got onto the bed with James. His breath picked up and he began sweating, unsure he could handle what was about to happen.</p><p>"Make me cum with your hand and nothing else. Do you understand?" you demanded. "Don't kiss me, don't fuck me... just finger me until I tell you to stop," you insisted. </p><p>James groaned, adjusting the erection that was swelling in his pants before he slipped his hand through the slit of your dress to your core,  tracing a finger up your folds. </p><p>You hissed through your teeth and Charlie peeked up at you from the floor, clasping his hands tightly together as he watched James' initial touch on your body. He grit his teeth, feeling even more heat roll through him.</p><p>James pushed his finger inside, then withdrew quickly to spit in his hand and return his now moistened touch to your center, earning him a sudden moan from you. </p><p>"Yeah... you like that, kitten? You like when I get it wet for you?"</p><p>Fury filled every inch of Charlie, hearing James refer to you by some sexy nickname. This was pure torture and he couldn't control the rage inside of him. His whole body began shaking from anger. </p><p>"Please... Please stop. I can't fucking watch this," Charlie spoke from the corner of the room. </p><p>James started to pick up his pace on you, locking eyes with Charlie in the process. "He's jealous that I have this pussy all to myself," he whispered to you. </p><p>You arched your back and moaned again, focusing on the hand fucking instead of the voice in your head.</p><p>"Please... I'll do anything you want. Just stop, I'm begging you," Charlie pleaded, his rage taking on the form of bitter tears.</p><p>You moved your gaze over to Charlie and saw a the look of a broken man praying for you to show him mercy. </p><p>You pushed James away and rolled to the side of the bed, sitting up as you studied Charlie's woeful demeanor. </p><p>"Jesus, a girl can't even get off to vengeance anymore," you remarked with annoyance as you ran both hands through your hair. "I'm going back downstairs. The vibe in here sucks."</p><p>You slipped your designer heels back on and strutted out of the room, still feeling buzzed but needing to be around music and dancing to fully enjoy it.</p><p>You waited patiently for the elevator, tapping your heel, when you saw Charlie round the corner. He seized your waist and you fought against him, pushing him away even though he didn't retreat.</p><p>"Just go away... I don't want to talk!" you yelled at his now stoic face. The doors opened and Charlie pushed you inside with his massive size as you thrashed against him. "Don't come in here with me!"</p><p>He stayed silent, hands roaming all over your body, panting in desperation, tensing his face. He held you up against the wall as the doors closed, hand on your jaw as he hovered his lips dangerously close to yours. </p><p>You tried to push him away again but he was like a brick wall. </p><p>"I hate you," you seethed against his lips through your heavy breathing.</p><p>Charlie's thumb gently stroked your cheek, eyes wandering into yours, looking for redemption but seeing nothing of the kind. </p><p>"Yeah? That's okay," he whispered, reaching down to urgently undo his pants. He needed to be inside you, to claim you after James had his hands on you.</p><p>You pushed against him again with no suffice.</p><p>"Just don't fucking kiss me," you demanded, quivering lips centimeters apart, barely touching one another.</p><p>A look of disappointment came over Charlie.</p><p>"Fine," he said before turning you around quickly, forcing your hands to press against the wall as he moved your dress to the side. He took a few thick breaths before plunging himself deep into your cunt.</p><p>You both paused, releasing mutual moans of relief as they echoed against the metal walls. It had been the longest month of your lives not feeling each other's touch. You both were so desperate to ease the long awaited desire, the thirst to be one again.</p><p>"Fuuuck," Charlie whispered in a low voice, sharply inhaling through his teeth and running his hand up your back to grip your shoulder. </p><p>You pushed your ass against him, needing to feel more of him but also wanting to fight against it. He shifted his stance to push further into you. It was no use. Your walls missed being stretched open like this, by him. Your high was intensified under his touch and serotonin took over, washing away all the hurt, all the pain, all the hate. If not forever, at least for the next few moments.</p><p>You reached behind and grabbed Charlie's hand, leading it to wrap around your throat. He followed your silent instructions and pulled your head back by your neck, as you let your body relax and bend backward, hands still planted on the wall in front of you for balance. </p><p>The elevator was moving now, going down to an unknown floor as Charlie's pushed himself in and out of you, grunting through each thrust as you moaned into the air. </p><p>"You feel fucking amazing," he said through ragged breaths. The doors to the elevator opened and an unnamed couple froze in their steps. Charlie didn't stop or pay any mind to them.</p><p>"Uh... we'll take the next one," the man said, smirking at the show while the woman bit her lip with wide-eyes. </p><p>The doors closed again and he reached over to disable the elevator from moving.</p><p>"I want you..." he said. "I want you to forgive me," his thrusts were deep and provocative on you.</p><p>"In your dreams," you replied, feeling his thick cock throb inside you. "I barely wanna fuck you let alone forgive you."</p><p>He growled at your answer, snapping his hips frantically. "Please... I need you to forgive me."</p><p>You let him fuck you for a few more seconds before forcing his hand from your throat and abruptly pulling away, leaning your back up against the cold metal wall. Your insides ached to be touched again, but you wanted to capitalize on this moment.</p><p>"You want me to forgive you?" you asked breathlessly. "Then you need to earn that forgiveness."</p><p>Charlie stood panting in front of you, stroking his abandoned cock, looking at you for guidance. </p><p>"Okay."</p><p>At that moment it occurred to you that your revenge was better gained by making him prove that he deserved forgiveness. You'd make him suffer by doing anything and everything that would cause sacrifice on his part but would serve you. </p><p>"You have to do everything I say. No matter what it is, you'll obey my every word to show me that you're worthy of it," you insisted.</p><p>Excitement flooded Charlie's veins, finally feeling like he could for once prove to you and to himself that he was worthy of the things he never allowed himself to feel. He struggled for years with his personal demons and you held the answer for his own redemption.  You would hold him accountable and show him how to earn your trust, and what he hoped for most, your love, back. </p><p>He lowered himself to his knees in front of you without any wavering or instruction to do so. He gazed up at you with innocent eyes.</p><p>"Tell me what you want, and it's yours."</p><p>Your stone heart started to crack. You felt the rumbling in your chest at the sight of him on his knees, with those words leaving his mouth. Charlie kneeling was always a beautiful transfer of power. </p><p>"Make me cum."</p><p>Just as you surmised, he had no qualms in making you cum hard against his mouth as you roughly tugged on his hair. Finally feeling his hungry tongue and full lips on you again without having to close your eyes and imagine it was other worldly.</p><p>You failed to let him cum that night, telling him that it was also a benefit to be earned. You relished in the fact that he was so obedient, so attentive.</p><p>If anything, you were going to enjoy the act of tearing this man down and watching him crumble, just as he had done to you.</p>
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<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Bad Girl, Good Boy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>emas·cu·late (verb): to deprive (a man) of his male role or identity.</p><p>***************************************</p><p> </p><p>You sat at Charlie's kitchen table savoring a glass of wine as he worked to prepare a 3-course feast. You agreed to come over after he agreed to essentially hand over his power and beg for forgiveness.</p><p>"Just tell me what you want, and it's yours."</p><p>It had been two whole days and two whole nights since those words left his lips, fully succumbing to you. You intentionally made him wait a full forty-eight hours before accepting the invitation to for dinner simply because you knew he hated waiting. It was a good way to begin things, you thought. Reminding him that you'd be doing things on your schedule, not his.</p><p>He suggested meeting again so that the two of you could talk. He kept it pretty vague but you knew his motive was direct in that he wanted you to forgive him. Unsure of what he planned to do with that forgiveness was unclear, but you decided it wasn't going to be granted without a price. </p><p>You felt wronged by him in many ways. He was always crossing boundaries, being hypocritical, keeping secrets, and of course breaking things off with you without any warning or explaining himself. Not to mention how he ghosted you for a week after the breakup, only to resurface with a casual "how are you" text as if you were just some old hookup. You hated how special he made you feel, as if you were the only thing that mattered and then in an instant, stripped it all away so easily. </p><p>He was venomous and you were now fully aware of it. </p><p>The aroma in the air was intoxicating enough to make you salivate, eager to eat whatever he was striving hard to prepare. You withheld the urge to praise him, making sure to keep any compliments few and far between to not boost his ego.</p><p>He sat down a plate of food in front of you, then one for him.</p><p>"Can I get you anything else?" he asked before taking a seat.</p><p>"Nope, I'm good," you responded, poking at the food with your fork. Charlie sat across the table from you and placed a napkin in his lap. "Oh, wait. Actually, I need a glass of water," you replied with a pouted lip, knowing that you didn't need the water, but rather you wanted to see him leap up and cater to your every request.</p><p>Which he did, without question or an ounce of attitude. </p><p>He sat the glass of water down next to your wine and stood over you. </p><p>"Anything else?"</p><p>You peeked up at him while sipping the water for a moment before shaking your head no.</p><p>He smirked and sat back down, finally taking the first bite of food from his plate.</p><p>The dinner was amazing and you tried your best not to inhale it, but to eat at a more relaxed, unimpressed pace. </p><p>Charlie was of course inhaling his meal, per usual, focused in his own little world. You watched him inconspicuously, twirling your hair and drinking your wine while he concentrated on eating. </p><p>He was such a slob when he ate but something about it made him so human. It was a small quirk, amongst many others, that made him unique. That made him unforgettable. </p><p>He peeked up at you over his plate, taking notice of your awareness of him. He swallowed the mouth full of chewed up food. "I'm sorry," he said while wiping his chin with a napkin. "I know my eating habits aren't the most appealing..."</p><p>"It's cute," you said before you could even stop yourself.</p><p>A small smile crept across his face. "Is the dinner okay?"</p><p>You nodded casually. "Yeah. Thank you." you cleared your throat and took another long drink of wine.</p><p>Charlie watched you a moment before speaking again.</p><p>"I meant what I said," he looked at you with meaningful eyes. "Anything you want, it's yours."</p><p>Little did he know you had already planned a mental list of things that you wanted from him. You had two full days to process and compile the activities that, if completed, would be a step towards your ability to give him what he wanted: forgiveness.</p><p>You weren't totally sure why Charlie needed your forgiveness so desperately. Perhaps he was feeling an insurmountable amount of guilt and just wanted to be reprieved of it so he could move on. Maybe he realized that he had treated so poorly that he couldn't stand the fact that you hated him.</p><p>Whatever the reason, you were feeling eager to have your ego stroked for once while he took the short end of the stick.</p><p>"You have a lot of work to do," you replied, finishing off your wine and sliding the empty glass over to him. He promptly stood and grabbed the bottle from the counter, refilling your glass without delay. </p><p> He knelt down beside you, placing the full glass on the table. "I know. And I'm ready for whatever you want from me."</p><p>It was like music to your ears, hearing him give you full permission.</p><p>You tried to bite back your smile, "Good. Let's start with your punishment then." You took another gulp of wine. "I need you to run an errand for me. Grab your coat."</p><p>He gave you a small grin and stood up, walking to the foyer to put on his dark, wool coat. You followed shortly after, approaching him as he worked on the buttons.</p><p>"Okay. Where am I going?" he asked, stuffing his hands into the pockets.</p><p>"You're going to the market down the corner to get the following items..." you handed him a small piece of paper with some things written on it.</p><p>He read the list and narrowed his eyes at you. "Condoms, lube.... and a cucumber? Really?" he chuckled. "Am I supposed to be embarrassed buying these things?"</p><p>"Mmhm. Oh, and make sure it's the biggest one you can find," you instructed with a devilish grin. </p><p>"And don't forget to smile nicely at the cashier," you continued as you held up a tube of red lipstick.</p><p>Charlie's nostrils flared and he let out a sigh when he saw the lipstick. With his competitive nature coming to life, he snatched the lipstick from you, popped the cap off, and spread the bright red color along his bottom lip. He pressed and rubbed both lips together, giving you a sexy wink.</p><p>You giggled at the sight of Charlie all dolled up. </p><p>"Okay, you better get going," you said, patting his shoulder and opening the door. </p><p>You sensed a smirk from Charlie as he walked outside and hurried down the steps. If you didn't know any better, it seemed like he was having just as much fun as you were.</p><p>You shut the door and turned to stroll down the hallway, grabbing your wine glass from the kitchen along the way. Walking towards the living room, you studied the framed photos on the wall again of Henry. </p><p>You paused mid-drink when you saw the photo you took, in a lovely frame added to the wall. You had almost forgotten you mailed it to him along with the bracelet. </p><p>It pained your insides every time you saw the picture which was why you needed to get it out of your life. There were too many memories tied to it. </p><p>You traced a finger along the outside of the frame, appreciating the quality he chose for it. Your stone heart began cracking again, pieces falling to expose parts that had been hidden since he left you. </p><p>You shook off the growing feeling in your chest and walked away from the picture wall and into the living room. Taking a seat on the sofa, you noticed one of his notebooks resting on the coffee table. Going through it was certainly a violation of privacy but then you remembered all the times he disregarded your privacy; taking a key to your apartment without permission, roaming through your bathroom... he was not a man with boundaries so why should you have any for him?</p><p>You picked up the notebook and flipped through the pages. It was mostly theater notes, random ideas, and scribbles. He was a thorough man and wrote down everything that entered his mind. Another quirk that made him unforgettable. </p><p>You paused when you saw what looked like a love poem:</p><p>But I don't deserve you<br/>I don't deserve how much you care<br/>I don't deserve anything you do<br/>And hurt me? You wouldn't dare</p><p>When I deserve the rain<br/>And every dark cloud in the sky<br/>You take away my pain<br/>And make the clouds subside</p><p>I know I can't provide you<br/>With everything you need<br/>But there is one thing I can do</p><p>To tell you how much I love you<br/>And I care so much for you<br/>There's nothing I wouldn't do<br/>To make sure I keep you</p><p>You stared at the last paragraph for a long moment before snapping the book shut and pushing it back onto the table as if it were contaminated. Why did he write that? Perhaps it was just a poem he saw and wanted to write it down so he wouldn't forget it.</p><p>Or was this him... talking to you? If it was meant for you, when did he write it? And does it even matter anymore since he broke things off?</p><p>Maybe it was meant for someone else. Or no one at all. </p><p> Disregarding the notebook, you got up and grabbed the bag you brought, making your way upstairs as you tried to redirect your mind to the whole purpose of why you were there. You rehashed the mental list of things you planned to do. The words suffer, humiliate and emasculate played like a mantra in your head.</p><p> </p><p>You dropped the bag down on his bed and pulled out the contents. </p><p>....To tell you how much I love you....</p><p>NO. Don't. Don't replay what you just read in his notebook. There wasn't time for that.</p><p>You took a deep breath and pulled out two chains with wrist cuffs attached to them. You knew Charlie had installed hooks over each bedpost for his own use but tonight... they were to accommodate your needs.</p><p>You attached the chained cuffs to opposite bedposts at the foot of his bed and gave them both a tug for good measure. </p><p>You took your clothes off and slipped into something more comfortable: a pair of his boxer briefs and a light blue button-up shirt, loosely done.</p><p>Meanwhile, one block north of you, Charlie was casually strolling through the produce section trying to forget that he was wearing bright red lipstick while on the hunt for the "biggest cucumber they have". He had already quickly grabbed the lube and condoms, knowing exactly where they were located in the store. Now he just had to get the cucumber, pay, and get the hell outta there.</p><p>He picked up one that he felt was satisfactory and toss it into his hand-basket along with the other items.</p><p>"Charlie? Is that you?"</p><p>Charlie's stomach dropped to the floor, knowing exactly who the familiar voice belonged to.</p><p>He turned slowly and met Ben's gaze.</p><p>"Ben. Hey." Charlie greeted him sternly.</p><p>Ben gave Charlie an amused look at first. He glanced down to Charlie's hand-basket as Charlie quickly moved to hide it behind his tall frame.</p><p>Ben frowned and nodded. "Okay. Well. Anyway. Good to see you. Have a.... nice night." Ben gave him a stiff wave as he tried to hold back a flustered grin. </p><p>Charlie tensed his jaw, finally feeling the full range of humiliation befall him that you had been counting on with this little adventure. Of course, he would run into fucking Ben of all people in this city. A part of him wondered if you planned it that way.</p><p>He swiftly made his way to the cashier who didn't even blink an eye at his appearance or grocery items. Charlie figured that would be the case. Cashier's in New York City were immune to seeing crazy shit.</p><p>You were sitting in Charlie's reading chair when you heard the front door open, some shuffling to remove his coat and footsteps echoing through the house. He walked into the bedroom and stopped just shy of the doorway, holding up the grocery bag full of your requests.</p><p> </p><p>You gave him a nod of approval, happy to see that he didn't rub off the lipstick out of embarrassment. </p><p>"Ben says 'hi'," he said, as he strolled further in to give you the bag, admiring how you looked in his clothing.</p><p>You couldn't contain the look of utter shock as you slapped your hand over your mouth. "You ran into Ben!?"</p><p>Charlie cocked his brow at. "Yeah. I figured you planned it that way."</p><p>You let out a genuine laugh. "Holy shit! No, but I'm so glad it happened."</p><p>Charlie smirked and shook his head at your humorous reaction before looking back over his shoulder at the new additions to his bedposts.</p><p>You noticed his curiosity and stood up from the chair, gaining his attention back. </p><p>"Ah, yes. That. Since you never gave yourself a safeword, I'll assign one to you. You might need it this time," you said, tracing a finger down the buttons of his shirt. </p><p>"And I think I found the perfect one: Mommy," you grinned at the word, secretly hoping that he would actually cry out 'mommy' at some point, further exploiting his manhood. </p><p>Charlie smirked, "Okay. But don't count on me ever using it," he replied, sounding overly confident. He must be underestimating you. </p><p>You narrowed your eyes up at him in a competing manner. "That sounds like a challenge."</p><p>He licked his lips, raking his teeth over his bottom lip, gazing down at you. "Maybe it is."</p><p>Game on.</p><p>You brought both hands up to the chest of his shirt and ripped it open, displaying his hard pecs and torso under it. He didn't even flinch, almost as if he anticipated it.</p><p>You ran your hands over his broad shoulders and slipped the shirt completely off, letting it fall to the floor. You reached over to your bag to retrieve a black permanent marker, locking eyes with him as you popped the cap off. He remained tall and steady in front of you as a small hint of a grin emerged behind his crimson-colored lips. </p><p>In permanent marker, you wrote the following on his chest:</p><p>I'M NOT A MAN</p><p>You directed him to turn around and across the top of his muscular back you wrote:</p><p>I'M Y/N'S BITCH</p><p>You smiled at the message, loving how your name looked branded on his pale skin.</p><p>You spun him around to face you and noticed he was biting his lip, trying to hold back his smile.  He could sense from your neat handwriting what you wrote.</p><p>Tossing the marker back into the bag, you reached in and searched for the next item. </p><p>A black lace thong.</p><p>"Take your pants off, and put these on," you instructed, dangling the small piece of material from your fingers.</p><p>"Those aren't going to fit me," he titled his brow at the panties you held up.</p><p>"Yeah, that's the whole point."</p><p>Charlie cleared his throat with a half-grin and unbuckled his belt, unfastened his pants and pushed them down to his feet, stepping out and tossing them to the reading chair. He took his time hooking his thumbs under the waistband of his boxer briefs, eyes focused on you, as he pushed them down, removing them completely before taking the lace fabric from your grip.</p><p>He struggled to adjust himself into them and you wanted so badly to laugh out loud but you held your composure together as much as possible. Once he did the best he could, he looked at you, giving you a gesture with his hands of 'see, told you'.</p><p>"Looks great," you replied giving him a satisfactory nod.  He rested his hands on his hips in typical Charlie fashion, rolling his gaze up to the ceiling. </p><p>"Okay, let's keep going," you guided him over to the bedposts, pulling the cuffs to each of his wrists and securing him. He didn't hesitate in letting you have total authority over him.</p><p>Once fastened in, he was at the foot of the bed now, faced towards it with both arms extended outward, connected to his own bedposts. You took a moment to appreciate how helpless he was.</p><p>You strolled around the bed, and over to his nightstand. His head was angled downward, eyes peeking up, watching your movements. You opened the nightstand and found the black, silk blindfold that he would use on you. </p><p>You crawled seductively across the bed to him as he watched you with deep desire. </p><p>Sitting up on your knees, parallel to him, you placed the blindfold over his eyes. You noticed a grin expand across his face as you rendered him blind. He had never let you use the blindfold on him before, always saying that it would "always be for you".</p><p>Resting back on your heels, you took in the sight of Charlie... bound, branded, and blindfolded before you. </p><p>With parted lips, he took in heavy breaths as he instinctively waited for your next action, using his other heightened senses to track your movements in the room.</p><p>You opened his top dresser drawer, reaching in to grab one of his belts before closing it slowly. He moved his head to listen closely for signs of your intentions. </p><p>"The night you came over to end things... you know what I did afterwards?" you began speaking to recall his faults as you advanced him from behind. "I slept on my floor, curled up in a ball because I didn't want to touch that fucking bed you bought."</p><p>Charlie swallowed thickly. "I'm sorry." It hurt his heart to know that you loathed him so much, ridding your apartment of anything he gave you.</p><p>You snapped the belt, causing him to flinch. "You are? What are you sorry for, Charlie?"</p><p>You ran the leather belt against his skin, tracing the black words across his shoulder blades.</p><p>"I'm sorry I caused you pain."</p><p>You hummed in agreement bringing the belt down the valley of his spine to his lower back.</p><p>"Well, I hear your apology and all but you know what? Your ass isn't the color of sorry."</p><p>With a quick flick of your wrist, you whipped the belt against his right cheek, earning you a loud grunt from his throat, followed by a hiss through his teeth.</p><p>You ran your hand over the freshly stung area. "Let's even things out," you snapped the belt against his left cheek. Charlie involuntarily tugged on the chains holding his arms outward as he groaned. </p><p>"Is that painful, Charlie?" you asked, sliding your hand down his strong, flexed back. He shivered under your touch.</p><p>"Yes," he answered with a trembled voice.</p><p>"Do you want me to keep doing it?" </p><p>"Yes." he stated, clenching his jaw with determination.</p><p>You spanked him several more times until his grunts and groans softened into moans and sighs of relief. His ass was marked with cherry red lines running every which way that the belt kissed his skin.</p><p>When you stopped, he was practically panting as he hung his head low, upper body still spread out wide on display. You moved back to the bed and perched up in front of him, pushing the blindfold up to his forehead. </p><p>Gently, you ran your hand down his cheek before wiping the red lipstick across his mouth and giving him a playful smack on the face before seizing his jaw.</p><p>"You want to watch me touch myself?" you whispered, caressing his lipstick-stained face. Charlie's eye lit up and he quickly nodded. </p><p>You parted his lips with your fingers and slid two inside his mouth. His full lips enclosed around your digits as he sucked, eyes locked on yours. You reached your other hand down to stroke his ever-growing cock that was held captive in the tight lace material. He moaned into your fingers, sending vibrations through your palm.</p><p>You pulled your fingers out of his warm mouth and laid flat on your back in front of him. By the look on his face, he was dying to touch you, to feel you writhe under his weight as he inhaled your scent, burrowing into the nook of your neck as you pulsate around him. He missed it so much.</p><p>You put the same two fingers into your mouth and tasted him. You had abstained from kissing the man since he broke up with you, creating at least one major boundary for yourself to save from falling off the deep end again. </p><p>He licked his lips as he watched you suck on your fingers, the very ones that were in his mouth only seconds before, wishing he could taste you back.</p><p>He missed your kiss more than words could express.</p><p>You slipped your wet digits under the waistband of the briefs, gently caressing the folds hidden underneath.  You kept yourself covered for the most part to tease him, not showing him too much of yourself besides your hand that was circling under his own briefs.</p><p>His jaw tensed, wanting so badly to touch you, to taste you, to have his own sex be stroked. But he was stripped of those privileges, left with only the ability to watch what was happening in front of him. </p><p>At least he could see and speak.</p><p>"Tell me what you feel like..." he pleaded, needing to be reminded of your aching core.</p><p>You moaned as you arched your back and closed your eyes. "Mmmm... soft... warm... wet..."</p><p>You heard the chains jerk and you looked back at him. He was leaning over you as far as the restraints would allow, salivating at the sight of you, heavy breaths seeping out of his hot mouth. </p><p>He looked like a predator in a cage that was only feet away from its prey. </p><p>"Please let me taste you..." he begged before swallowing.</p><p>You bit your bottom lip as you pushed your fingers deep into your cunt.  </p><p>Guiding your hand up to his mouth, you allowed him to suck on your fingers to savor the essence of you. He behaved as if you just gave him life-saving nourishment as he closed his eyes and moaned in appreciation.</p><p>You pulled your hand away quickly, hearing the pop from his lips. He growled at the swift movement, needing more.</p><p>You laid back down, returning your hand to your pussy and pressing your bare foot into his swollen cock, twisting slightly. He groaned from the pain and pleasure of it, finally being touched but with such aggression. </p><p>He moved his hips forward to enhance the pressure and try to create friction, but you didn't move your foot. You held it steady against him, while you delicately touched yourself.</p><p>Every muscle in his body became strained as he watched you finger yourself only feet away from him. He wanted so badly to feel you or at least touch himself. </p><p>He moaned as soon as you started moving your foot back and forth against his throbbing length, easing the growing urge. You felt beads of precum from the head of his cock as he dripped with desire.</p><p>"Do you deserve to cum, Charlie?"</p><p>He swallowed, groaning against the pressure of your foot. "Please. I need it." </p><p>"Tell me you deserve it. Be a good boy."</p><p>You heard another growl escape him, clearly struggling to say out loud that he deserved anything good from you.</p><p>"I - ........ I deserve to cum." He spoke the words through gritted teeth.</p><p>You moved up to his right wrist and released the cuff. </p><p>"Do it, then. Cum for me."</p><p>You replied, giving him permission to touch himself with one hand while you continued rubbing your own sex. </p><p>You both gazed into each other's eyes while you worked on yourselves, mutual chests rising and falling at an increasing pace, drawing yourselves closer to the brink. </p><p>There was something electric about bringing yourselves to climax without actually touching one another, only exchanging deep gazes. It was as if you could feel his energy rush through your body just from the look in his eyes.  </p><p>He came first, hard and wild as he pumped his release out all over the bedspread between your legs. He was still attached to the other bedpost as he finished working through his climax. Once he finished, he reached for you in a desperate attempt to touch your leg, gripping at the soft skin.</p><p>His grip felt so good on your aching body and soon enough passion defeated you. </p><p>"Release the other cuff," you instructed him.</p><p>He immediately reached up with his right hand and let himself free. You kept circling your bundle of nerves, pushing yourself up to the head of the bed as he slowly stalked towards you, breathing fiercely from his post-climax adrenaline. </p><p>You wanted so badly to feel him fuck you again. You weren't sure if you could get yourself off at this point, knowing that he was free now to give you what you wanted. </p><p>"Say it."</p><p>His voice was deep and laced with dominance. Such a sharp contrast from his position only seconds ago. You knew what he wanted you to say. He wanted you to give him permission to take charge and fuck you like you wanted to be fucked. If was as if he read your mind.</p><p>"You can fuck me, but I don't want you to kiss me."</p><p>A stabbing pain struck Charlie's chest, hearing you say those words again to him. All he wanted was to feel your lips against his lips. Sure, he wanted to fuck you, too. But not being able to kiss you deeply while he fucked you took most of the joy out of it for him. </p><p>He sighed and got up from the bed, walking over to the reading chair. You kept touching yourself, unsure of what he was doing. He stepped out of the lace panties first before grabbing the condoms, lube, and...</p><p>....the cucumber.</p><p>You hadn't planned on actually using any of the items you made him buy. The whole purpose was to just humiliate him in public. </p><p>And Charlie knew this, but as soon as you refused to kiss him, he figured it didn't matter what fucked you. Just as long as you got fucked like the bad girl you are.</p><p>You swallowed hard when he positioned himself onto his knees in between your parted legs, placing the items down next to you. He reached to your hips and pulled on his briefs, guiding you to extend your leg upwards so he could remove them. He kissed your ankles with his smooth, luscious lips. Obviously, you wanted them on your mouth. But you had to stay strong.</p><p>He ripped open the condom box and took one out, tearing it open with the help of his teeth. He instructed you to hold the cucumber upright in front of him while he rolled the condom down over the produce. You smirked, watching it all happen in front of you, not exactly sure if you'd want this but also not really against it. </p><p>You realized at that moment that you were willing to try almost anything once if Charlie was involved. </p><p>He reached for the lube but you stopped him.</p><p>"Trust me, you'll want it," he insisted.</p><p>You swayed your head side to side in opposition, having a much better idea in mind.</p><p>"Spit on it."</p><p>Charlie beamed at your suggestion, loving how raw and filthy you could be. You were perfect for him. He spat on the cucumber and rubbed it over the tip as he lowered it to your core. </p><p>He gently rubbed the cold shaft up and down your folds, studying your body language and expression as he gradually pushed the first inch inside. He was careful not to hurt you, watching you intently as he pushed it in further, little by little.</p><p>The girth wasn't as shocking as the temperature, the coolness of the shaft sending chills through your heated core. He slipped his other hand up your shirt and cupped your breast, pulling the shaft out a little then back in, deeper this time. </p><p>You yelped, grasping at his hand on your breast.</p><p>"You want me to stop?"</p><p>You moaned at his question, unsure of the answer. He pushed in further and you cried out with a giggle, covering your face from how shameful it all seemed.</p><p>He smirked and slowly retracted, replacing it with his hungry mouth. Your muscles relaxed, feeling soothed by the exchange of hard and cold to soft and warm. You began circling your hips as you reached down to comb your fingers through his thick locks.</p><p>He moaned against your clit, sending shivers through your legs. </p><p>"Use your fingers, Charlie. Make me cum hard like our first time."</p><p>The words left your mouth faster than you could stop them, quickly realizing that bringing up old memories was probably dangerous territory.</p><p>He pulled his mouth away from your core, lips glistening with your juices as he introduced his hand. </p><p>"Stop calling me Charlie. You know what my name is..."</p><p>He pushed his fingers deep into you, peering up at your face with purpose. He was going to get his nickname back. He needed it. </p><p>"I'll call you whatever I want..."</p><p>"Not unless you want to cum. Charlie doesn't make you cum. Only daddy does..."</p><p>He dove his fingers in and curled them, locating your G-spot and massaging it gently.</p><p>A wave of tingles washed over your entire body, every nerve stimulated and lit on fire by his touch.</p><p>You were so close when moved his fingers away from your G-spot, causing your body to stop trembling.</p><p>"Dammit, Charlie. Just fucking do it..."</p><p>"No. Say it."</p><p>You groaned in frustration. "Fine, but you're an asshole."</p><p>You sighed deeply and closed your eyes, catching a glimpse of the pretentious grin on his face.</p><p>"Make me cum... daddy..."</p><p>You heard Charlie smirk. "Good girl."</p><p>He could have it this time, but only because you needed to get off. You wouldn't cave forever.</p><p>He curled his fingers again, sending the electricity back through your body. The man could play you like a violin, making you come to life with the music from his hands. </p><p>Within seconds you reached your peak, a blinding surge of pleasure pulsating through you as you cried out. </p><p>"...FUCK... yes, oh my god!"</p><p>You rocked your hips back and forth, fucking his hand as you worked through what felt like a never-ending orgasm. It was like your first time, only so much better. </p><p>You took in a large inhale, whistling through your lips as you exhaled. "Jesus..."</p><p>Charlie sat up on his knees, gazing down on you with delight, no doubt proud of the work he did.</p><p>You looked up at him, smirking at the "I'M NOT A MAN" message in big bold letters on his chest, face still stained from smeared lipstick. You put him through some shit tonight, and he took every bit of it with poise. You thought for sure he would give way at some point. He was truly committed to this whole forgiveness thing.</p><p>He smiled down at you with kind eyes.</p><p> </p><p>....To tell you how much I love you....</p><p>Goddammit. Stop doing that to yourself. Why did you have to go snooping through his notebook?</p><p>"Can we talk now?" he asked, running his hands down your thighs.</p><p>You sensed your heart beating faster, feeling weak from your climax, from punishing him... from everything.</p><p>"Let's rest tonight. We can talk in the morning," you said, sitting up and rolling off the bed. You walked over and picked up your clothes from the floor and grabbed your bag.</p><p>"Wait, you're leaving?"</p><p>His voice was filled with staggering despair. </p><p>You looked over at him, holding your bag loosely at your side. </p><p>"Charlie, I - I don't think I can sleep next to you."</p><p>It was the truth, as sad as it was. You knew if you slept next to him, you would want to cuddle. And if you cuddled, you would want to kiss. And if you kissed, you'd make love to him. It was a slippery slope back to square one, and that wasn't a place you could handle again.</p><p>Charlie lept up. "Here, take the bed. I'll sleep on the sofa downstairs."</p><p>You swallowed as you considered the offer, eyes moving down to the foot of the bed where he had ejaculated all over the bedspread. You gave him a knowing smile.</p><p>"Oh... right. Let me get you a fresh blanket," he said, pulling the soiled bedspread off the mattress. </p><p>You stood frozen, unsure of what you wanted. What you really wanted. Revenge... or more inevitable heartache?</p><p>He looked at you doe-eyed.</p><p>"Stay with me...</p><p>...please."</p><p> </p><p>****************************</p><p>A/N: Listen. Don't look at me like that. LOL We are a dirty slut for Charlie. What can I say. *puts cucumber slices over eyes and reclines back*</p>
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<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Earn It</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>You stared up at Charlie's ceiling, unable to fall asleep.</p><p>Being surrounded by his scent caused every inhale to send a sharp pang through your chest. It had been an hour since he left you in his bedroom after your separate showers to wash away the shame of the evening. You insisted on showering alone to keep yourself in check, not wanting to create an air of confusion on why you were staying the night. It was out of convenience and nothing else.</p><p>You got up and headed into the master bathroom to soothe your mind by taking a minute away from lying in the bed you swore you'd never let yourself sleep in again.</p><p>You splashed some cool water over your face, patting it dry with a soft, fuzzy hand towel. Your tired reflection caught your attention and you stared at yourself for a moment. A part of you didn't even recognize who was staring back. You studied your uneven and dry complexion, the darkness under your eyes, the blemishes.</p><p>There was no life left in your appearance and it saddened you.</p><p>When every bit of makeup was removed and you stood face to face with the woman you'd become over the last month and a half, you looked... unwell.</p><p>He did this to you.</p><p>You swallowed back the emotions that had begun to glass over your eyes, running both hands through your hair and taking a deep breath to stop them from taking over. You looked down at the vanity, chewing on the inside of your cheek and avoiding your own reflection.</p><p>Glancing to the cabinet door under the sink, you grew curious if Isabel's belongings still resided there. You wondered if she came over after the break-up and fucked Charlie. You wondered if they teamed up to make your life hell on purpose, just to toy with you, meeting up on occasion to laugh about it behind your back. Just the thought of it angered you.</p><p>Fuck it. It didn't matter anymore. At this point, ignorance was bliss and you welcomed it.</p><p>You stepped back into the bedroom, gazing at the bed with uncertainty.</p><p>Charlie had just fallen asleep on the sofa downstairs when he awoke to the sound of you slowly opening the front door. He perked his head up, able to see your dark silhouette from the living room. You turned and paused with the door ajar, taking note that he was awake but saying nothing.</p><p>He mumbled your name but you didn't respond as you closed the door, leaving him alone in the silence of his own home.</p><p>He sighed deeply, letting his head fall back to the pillow.</p><p>You stared out the window of the taxicab, watching the city that never sleeps sparkle in the distance as you headed to your apartment located only a few miles away.</p><p>Stepping through the threshold, you dropped your belongings at the door before heading into the kitchen. You grabbed a bottle of dark rum and a glass from the cabinet, pouring yourself a double and slinging it back entirely. </p><p>You coughed from the burn that slid down your throat, coating the pain in your chest as you waited for it to numb. You sniffled from the strong sensation starting to subside, pouring yourself another and repeating the same. It came to you gradually, as it always did, but you started to feel your muscles relax and your mind becoming senseless.</p><p>You gripped the neck of the bottle, sliding it off the counter as you carried it lazily into the dark living room like a security blanket.</p><p>You were startled when a lamp flickered on and your eyes adjusted to a figure sitting in a chair.</p><p>Isabel.</p><p>"There you are."</p><p>Her voice was both welcoming and dark.</p><p>"W- what the fuck?!"</p><p>Isabel had never made an uninvited appearance like this at your place so you were completely taken off guard, heart racing from your delayed fight or flight response.</p><p>She let out an amused chuckled.</p><p>"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."</p><p>You sat the bottle of booze down on your glass coffee table, giving her a confused look while also glancing around your own apartment.</p><p>"How did you get in here? And why are you in here?"</p><p>She cocked her brow at you. "Darling, I own this place. Remember?"</p><p>She wasn't wrong, she did own it. She owned the whole building, to be exact. But you didn't realize that meant she would be making unannounced drop-ins whenever the hell she wanted.</p><p>You scoffed at her.</p><p>"Look, I've had a long night and I'm not really in the mood to chat about whatever it is you came here for..."</p><p>She stood up just as you collapsed down on your plush couch, sighing as the booze worked its way through your system.</p><p>"Oh, I'm well aware. James filled me in about what happened a couple of days ago..."</p><p>She poured herself a shot of rum into your glass and took it down with grace.</p><p>"It's actually why I came here, so I'll make it quick: You're a fucking idiot."</p><p>You sat up quickly from the couch and glared at her.</p><p>"Excuse me??"</p><p>She laughed, as she normally does whenever she's being a snooty bitch.</p><p>"I'm just saying, don't lose your strength over one guy. Charlie is... replaceable," she insisted, pouring herself another drink while offering another to you. "There are thousands of 'Charlies' out there. Many of them with much less baggage, too."</p><p>You grabbed the bottle from her, taking a swig directly from it, cringing at the brutal aftertaste.</p><p>"I'm not being stupid, I'm just having fun. I know my limits and I know his limits."</p><p>It was why you removed yourself from his house only minutes ago. It was why you refused to kiss him, to sleep next to him. Those were your limits.</p><p>His limits prompted the break-up and by extension, became the reason why you've guarded your heart.</p><p>Isabel walked over to you, caressing your hair gently as you peered up at her.</p><p>"Good girl. Keep it that way," she moved her hand to your chin, holding your attention as her gaze became dark in a matter of mere seconds. "And don't ever ruin another class at my club just because you want to show your ass off to some unworthy man. Understood?"</p><p>You gulped at her reprimand and nodded in agreement. Isabel could be a frightening woman when she wanted to be.</p><p>She gave you a dark grin before turning to leave, her heels clacking against the wood floor as she grabbed her coat and walked out.</p><p>You took a deep breath once she was finally gone, quickly stepping over to your front door and placing the chain lock over it for an extra security measure.</p><p>You laid back down on your couch, letting the booze take over so you could finally fall asleep without anything stopping you.</p><p>...To tell you how much I love you...</p><p>Oh, right. Except for that.</p><p> </p><p>*************************************</p><p>Charlie laid awake for most of the night, questioning why you decided to leave. He tried to give you the space you wanted, but it became clear you needed miles between you, not feet. He sat up and rubbed his temples. If he was going to stay awake he might as well be productive. </p><p>He switched on the table lamp and reached for his notebook to jot down some thoughts.</p><p>He flipped to the page of the love poem he wrote, pausing to reread it for the umpteenth time since it poured out of him two weeks ago. He never considered himself a poet and certainly not a love poet. But the words came to him late one night when he was still trying to find you.</p><p>He brushed his hand over the words, stroking his thumb across the last paragraph. Love wasn't what he desired out of this with you. It wasn't part of the plan when he met you and he believed it wasn't part of his DNA anymore. He reminisced back to his first love from college, and how innocent it all felt. But similar to the love he had for his ex-wife, it deteriorated over time, leaving him to believe his heart wasn't built for it.</p><p>But there was something different in his chemistry this time. Something had changed. The way he felt about you was overwhelming, strong, and unconditional. It was fresh, profound, and filled with hope.</p><p>He turned to a clean page and began scribbling down some thoughts. At this point, his notebook was turning into more of a personal journal. But writing everything down helped ease his mind, so he didn't shy away from expressing what was burning inside him on paper.</p><p>Paper was safe and unwavering. It didn't judge him or argue back.</p><p>Before he knew it, the sun was rising and pieces of rays were falling on his face from the window. He picked up his watch from the table to check the time. 7AM. He considered how long he should wait before calling you.</p><p>You weren't sure if it was the buzzing of your phone or the bright, orange sunlight peering in from the large window that woke you. Rubbing your eyes and squinting at your phone, you sighed when you saw Charlie's name. You at least needed a cup of coffee before you had this conversation.</p><p>"Hello?"</p><p>"Hey..."</p><p>Charlie was actually surprised you answered. He could sense he disrupted your sleep.</p><p>"I'm sorry to wake you. Do you need a minute?"</p><p>You cleared your throat and sat up.</p><p>"Um. Yeah. I need to make some coffee."</p><p>"Yeah, sure... I can wait. Take your time."</p><p>You stumbled into the kitchen and sat your phone down on the counter to place a coffee pod into the machine. You were feeling the effects of a hangover so you elected to grab some Tylenol from the bathroom. Turning on your heel, you didn't see your bag from last night lying on the floor and you accidentally tripped on it causing you to roll your ankle and come tumbling down onto the hard floor.</p><p>"Owww.. FUCK!"</p><p>You heard Charlie's muffled voice calling your name from the phone on the counter. You tried to stand but couldn't put any weight on your right foot. You slid yourself back over towards the counter, reached up, and grabbed your phone.</p><p>"Hey..." you said with an exhale.</p><p>"Are you alright?? Sounded like you fell or dropped something..."</p><p>You adjusted yourself to sit on the floor and lean up against the counter wall.</p><p>"Yeah, I fell... and I think I fucked up my ankle." You rubbed the area and felt shooting pain as you hissed.</p><p>"Send me your address, I'll come help you."</p><p>You hesitated, not wanting to give away your new oasis of freedom, but also knowing that you presumably needed the help, otherwise you'd be stuck on the floor... hungover and disabled.</p><p>"Umm, it's okay. I can always call Scarlett or Jeffrey..." you groaned from the pain as you tried to find a comfortable position.</p><p>"Oh my god, stop. C'mon. You're hurt...let me help you."</p><p>You sighed deeply, feeling too tired to argue about it.</p><p>"Fine..."</p><p>You gave him your address and he told you not to move before he hung up, rushing to get dressed and head your way.</p><p>Within fifteen minutes, there was a knock at your door. You carefully pushed yourself up off the floor and hobbled in pain over to unlock the door. As soon as it opened, Charlie wrapped an arm around you, giving you his strength to use as a crutch.</p><p>"Hey clumsy," he said, greeting you with a smile. "Here, let me help you. You want the couch or the bed?"</p><p>He lifted you up as you instructed him toward the bedroom. Any time he carried you, butterflies would consume your insides. It was like some unstoppable, biological force of nature that all females have in their genes. You wish you knew how to make them go away.</p><p>Charlie tensed once he entered the room. You didn't know it but he was surprised to see that you kept the bed he bought. He thought for sure you got rid of it. He was pleased to see that you didn't.</p><p>He carefully laid you down, taking caution to your sore and now swollen ankle as he leaned over to examine it.</p><p>"I'll get you some Tylenol and ice. Don't move... don't touch it."</p><p>"Okay... thanks."</p><p>A part of you hated how nice he was being but that was just Charlie. He was a caretaker by nature so you knew he wasn't angling for anything, he was just being himself and truly wanted to help.</p><p>He came back minutes later with the items to nurse your injury. You swallowed the pills and chugged all the water he gave you before taking a long exhale and letting your head fall back onto the pillow.</p><p>He smirked at you. "Well someone's dehydrated. Want more? I'll get you more." he answered his own question before you even had the chance, rushing back into the kitchen and returning with another full glass, placing it next to you on the nightstand.</p><p>Charlie sat on the edge of the bed and held the ice pack to your ankle, stroking your foot with his thumb. He turned his gaze to the astounding view from your bedroom window. Your new apartment was a huge upgrade from the last, and he recognized that your employment with the club had everything to do with it.</p><p>"I think that's what they call a million-dollar view," he said, biting his lip.</p><p>You glanced over at it before shutting your eyes, head still throbbing from your hangover. You thought the same thing when you first saw the apartment but now you were becoming numb to it. It was beautiful, but for some reason, it meant less and less to you. </p><p>Charlie regarded your weary demeanor.</p><p>"Hey, why don't you get some more rest... let the medicine kick in. I'll be right here if you need anything."</p><p>You lifted your heavy eyes slowly and looked at him. His gaze on you was soft and kind. Even after everything, after all the pain he put you through, for some unexplained reason you still trusted him to take care of you. He was the king of aftercare, even out of the bedroom.</p><p>You nodded in agreement, as he reached over and positioned a pillow under your foot to elevate your ankle and rest the ice pack on the swollen area. He brushed some loose hair away from your forehead before leaning down to place a soft kiss there, slowly backing away to give you some space and wait in the living room.</p><p>You clutched his wrist, gaining his attention and keeping him from going too far.</p><p>"Thank you."</p><p>Charlie smiled down at you with ease.</p><p>"You're welcome, sweetheart."</p><p>You released him and he walked out of your bedroom, gradually closing the door to give you the quiet solitude that you needed to fall asleep and get the rest you needed.</p><p>He proceeded into the kitchen, taking in the beauty of your new place but noticing how empty it felt. Because it was. There was nothing in the fridge, no ingredients in the cupboards, no food in the pantry. The only things you really had available for consumption were coffee and several bottles of half-empty booze.</p><p>It saddened him to see that not only did you leave your massage therapy job behind but you also stopped cooking. The empty take-out containers in the trash had become your new normal. The wine would you normally have on hand had been replaced with hard liquor.</p><p>This wasn't you. It became clear to Charlie at that moment how much you were hurting. </p><p> </p><p>You weren't sure if it had been an hour or seven hours but you awoke to the aroma of something savory in the air. You rolled over and saw that the sun was beginning to set in the distance and the city lights were starting to twinkle in the dusk. You must have slept all day which surprised you since you hadn't been sleeping much at all.</p><p>Lifting yourself up to a seated position, you noticed that your ankle had started to bruise slightly. It hurt like hell so you reached for the bottle of Tylenol from the nightstand, gulping down more medicine with the water that Charlie had left for you. You heard some shuffling from the kitchen and knew he was still there. You wondered what he had been up to for the entire day as you slept.</p><p>You brought your legs to the edge of the bed and tried to put equal weight on both feet. Nope, that wasn't going to work. You stood up with your one good foot, seeming a bit wobbly but using every piece of furniture to assist you along the way as you limped over to the bedroom door.</p><p>Upon opening it, you saw Charlie working like a busy bee in the kitchen making dinner.</p><p>His head turned at the sound of your door opening and he quickly put down the oven mitt in his hand to rush over to you.</p><p>"Hey, hey... easy," he said, helping you walk out of the bedroom as you took his strong hand.</p><p>You glanced over his shoulder at everything laid out on the counter. "How did you... I didn't have any-" you began to say you didn't have any food in the house but he interrupted.</p><p>"I went to the store. Minus the lipstick this time, " he smirked. "Picked up some essentials and other things for dinner. You didn't even have salt... did you know that? So now you have salt, pepper, olive oil, butter...cucumbers..." he chuckled.</p><p>"You really didn't have to do all that," you continued as he helped you into the living room and onto the couch. "I actually don't cook anymore, I just order-"</p><p>"Take-out? Yeah, I saw that."</p><p>You leaned into the couch and looked up at him. "Are you judging me?" you asked with a crooked smile.</p><p>He smiled back. "No, no. I just... thought maybe you'd eventually want to cook again. You know, someday soon."</p><p>You two exchanged some silent stares at each other before Charlie spoke up again.</p><p>"Can I get you anything? More medicine or something to drink?" he asked as he walked back towards the kitchen. "You also only had coffee and hard liquor, so I got some wine, milk, and juice..."</p><p>You pinched your brow, feeling amused at how over the top he was behaving. "Um.. juice would be good." You had only seen this side of Charlie a couple of times before, back when things were good between you. Why not enjoy being spoiled for a while. If he wanted to take care of you, make dinner, go grocery shopping, and be at your beck and call, you certainly didn't see any reason to stop him.</p><p>He brought over a glass of cranberry juice and you sat up to drink it.</p><p>"I'm making gnocchi with roasted vegetables. You don't have any food allergies, right? I don't think I've ever asked that..." he questioned, standing above you, waiting for your answer.</p><p>"Uhh..no, I don't," you replied, holding the juice glass close to you as you looked up at him with curious eyes. "Do... you?"</p><p>He grinned, turning to stroll back into the kitchen. "I used to when I was younger. It was a nut allergy, believe it or not. But I ate so much peanut butter as a kid, loved the stuff... would eat it right off the spoon... and I suffered through it to the point I think my body just gave up."</p><p>You chuckled, taking another sip of your juice as you watched him toss a dish towel over his shoulder and continue chopping vegetables. You appreciated seeing him like this, so open and alive. Also, there was something special about a man cooking that turned you on. You laid back on the couch and enjoyed the show as if it was porn.</p><p>The meal was of course divine, as it always is whenever he cooks for you. You both sat at the small table by the kitchen, enjoying your food in silence. You finished everything on your plate, feeling full and satisfied as you dropped your napkin on the table, giving Charlie an encouraging thumbs-up.</p><p>"That was excellent, thank you," you said as you stretched your neck and massaged your stiff shoulder.</p><p>Charlie took notice and reached over to rub your neck along with you.</p><p>"Feeling sore?"</p><p>"Yeah... I think my whole body was jolted when I fell."</p><p>He nodded and wiped his mouth with his napkin, peeking over his shoulder towards the bathroom. "Why don't I draw you a warm bath... that should help soothe it."</p><p>A warm bath did sound pretty fucking great after the meal and nap you just had so you agreed. Charlie headed into the bathroom and turned the faucet on as you let your injured ankle dangle from the chair, trying to roll and stretch it out. You flinched from the pain but at least you could tell it wasn't broken. You were thankful you didn't have to work at the club that night but worried about tomorrow since you were on the schedule.</p><p>You glanced around your apartment, noticing how different it seemed with Charlie in it. The post-cooking mess in the kitchen, the scent of dinner intermingled with the scent of him. Your place was usually so empty, cold, and sterile.</p><p>Now it was warm. Comfortable. Inviting.</p><p>He walked out of the bathroom and approached you, bending down at your side, hands resting on your legs before they slowly grazed down to your ankle. He gave it a quick once over before looking up at you.</p><p>"Are you ready?"</p><p>For some reason, it seemed like he wasn't talking about the bath. But you agreed against your better judgment and wrapped an arm around his neck as he helped you into the bathroom. You sat on the edge of your soaking tub as Charlie stood in front of you, gazing down and biting his lip.</p><p>"Do you want help getting undressed?"</p><p>Your heart was beating faster at the invitation, a rush of serotonin passing through you, wanting so badly to keep his tenderness close by but at the same time, hating how vulnerable you had become around him. You were supposed to be strong, unforgiving, and fierce. He was just going to hurt you again if you let him in.</p><p>But his hands...</p><p>His face...</p><p>His eyes...</p><p>Without a word spoken, your eyes drawn down in self-hate, you lifted your arms up and welcomed him to remove your top. His hands moved to your ribs, gathering up the fabric and gently pulling it upwards and off.</p><p>He knelt down in front of you to match your gaze, to which you refused to meet his by shifting yours to the tile floor. A hand found your chin and gently pulled it back. Your throat swelled, feeling tears building but keeping them buried as you looked him in the eye.</p><p>"I just want to help you," he whispered.</p><p>You kept his gaze, swallowing against the tightness in your throat. You reached behind your back to unhook your bra, letting it fall to your lap. His eyes never left yours as his hands moved to your hips, pulling your pants off as you leaned back and lifted yourself up slightly.</p><p>You were totally nude now, Charlie's hazel eyes taking a moment to scan up your bare body before meeting your face again. He carefully assisted you into the warm bubble bath, giving you time to get comfortable before releasing his grip. He rested on the floor next to the tub, letting his soapy, wet forearms lean on the edge as they dripped dry. You noticed his rolled-up sleeves had gotten a bit wet from helping you.</p><p>You both sat in stillness for a moment, the only sound coming from the water you pushed around in front of you. You looked over at him realizing he was trying to keep his gaze on something other than your naked, wet body and it made you smile.</p><p>"You're trying to be good, aren't you?" you teased, grasping at the bubbles floating in the water.</p><p>He smirked and met your gaze. "Just being a gentleman, is all."</p><p>You couldn't contain your laugh.</p><p>"You don't need to pretend with me. I know all about your bad boy intentions."</p><p>He frowned and considered your words.</p><p>"Actually, that's part of what I wanted to talk about..."</p><p>He adjusted himself on the floor to a more comfortable position, keeping his forearms hovered over the edge as they were partially dried.</p><p>"I know I don't deserve this but I'm going to suggest it anyway. I want us to start over."</p><p>Your body froze under the blanket of bubbles. He was asking for a second chance, something you already knew you couldn't handle, and your first instinct was to dip your head under the water so you didn't have to hear the words. But drowning yourself wasn't the answer, so you held your breath, letting him state his case.</p><p>"When we first met, I was... lost. I was closed off and believed there wasn't another way to be..." His eyes wandered downward as he spoke with his hands fluidly. "I thought I knew what was making me happy. I assumed it would always make me happy, and I didn't want to let go of that."</p><p>You watched him in awe, as Charlie proceeded to share his true feeling for the first time ever.</p><p>He paused for a moment.</p><p>"But something new has taken its place. The things that used to bring me joy and satisfaction don't anymore. And I need to stop chasing it because it's not worth losing something much more divine over it."</p><p>He looked at you, the corner of his lips curling upwards.</p><p>"I think about you every day. Every.. fucking.. minute of the day."</p><p>More pieces of the stone shielding your heart started to crumble. You could actually feel it bleed as he tore through the wall you had put up. He could tell by your expression that you were struggling with his confession.</p><p>"I know I don't deserve you, I know that. And I know you don't trust me. But... what I'm asking for is... a chance to show you. To earn it. Without all the bullshit in the way."</p><p>You shifted in the tub, sitting up straighter as you let his words sink in. He was right, you didn't trust him. You knew it was a huge risk to even attempt to let him again, knowing he could realize one day soon that his feelings for you also had an expiration date.</p><p>You swallowed and looked at him. "Charlie, I want to believe that everything you're saying is real. But... I can't live through that pain again..." you admitted, trying to share your true feelings.</p><p>He lifted himself up to his knees and came closer to you.</p><p>"I won't hurt you again, I won't. I swear. I just..." the tip of his fingers caressed the top of your shoulder. "I'm so sorry... I need you in my life. And I'll do anything..."</p><p>His hand trailed down your collar bone and hovered right above your breast, almost waiting for permission.</p><p>"Please, let me show you. Let me make it better..."</p><p>Heated breath left from between his lips as he gazed down through the bubbles at your body under the water. </p><p>It was now or never. You were standing on a cliff of despair, wagering whether jumping was the better option than sitting in misery, waiting for someone to come along and push you. All you wanted was love, but love was being such a bitch.</p><p>So you jumped.</p><p>You reached up, wet hands grasping the sides of Charlie's face and pulling him towards you, pressing your lips into his with so much intensity that it took him by surprise. He reacted quickly, clutching at your wrists before moving a hand down under the suds and in between your legs. He moaned into your kiss, finally able to enjoy it again after waiting for so long. You ran your wet fingers through his hair, pushing it back away from his face.</p><p>He pulled his lips away momentarily to whisper against your mouth. "I want to make you feel good..."</p><p>You let his hand find your core, warm water soaking parts of his light blue shirt. "Yeah? What else do you want..?" you asked, feeling his fingers slowly slid up and down your folds.</p><p>"I want to make you happy... like how you make me happy..."</p><p>You moaned, pressing your lips into his again, feeling his soft kiss heat your veins.</p><p>You titled your head back and closed your eyes, relishing in the sweet touch of Charlie, not allowing yourself to feel bad about it anymore.</p><p>"What else..?" you rolled your hips in circles, letting his fingers work in the opposite direction.</p><p>"I want to wake up next to you every morning... reach for your body every night..."</p><p>Whatever pieces of the stone wall that was left had now shattered. He was in. And you wanted it to happen. You couldn't even fight it if you tried.</p><p>You wrapped your soaking wet arms around his neck, hugging him close as he pushed his finger inside you. The water in the tub was moving erratically now, some splashing out onto the floor.</p><p>There was no power struggle, no agenda. No one was trying to punish or submit or be the antagonist. You both just wanted each other. You just wanted to feel good with each other again.</p><p>Charlie pulled back temporarily, a mischievous grin drawn across his face as he untucked his shirt, removed his shoes, and proceeded to get into the tub with you, fully clothed. His shirt was practically soaked anyway but you laughed hysterically at his spontaneous playfulness. Water flooded over the sides of the tub as he lowered himself in, hovering over you, craving more kisses from you.</p><p>"You're insane!" you shouted, giggling uncontrollably, as he nestled into you.</p><p>He brushed his nose against yours. "You make me this way," he replied, smiling. "Insanely happy."</p><p>Life came rushing back into your insides. All the deadness had disappeared and new seeds had been planted in its place, already budding with beautiful sprouts hope.</p><p>How did he do this to you? How could someone make you feel completely broken, then completely new again?</p><p>You kissed one another, intimately, slowly, with the only purpose being that of indulging in the taste of each other's essence. His tongue pushed and pulled against yours, leaving soft nibbles on your bottom lip before deepening the kiss again. </p><p>You wrapped your naked legs around his waist, pulling your hips up to him, both of you smiling in between your sensual kisses.</p><p>Making out with Charlie in a bathtub was turning out to be one of the sexiest things you'd ever done before which was saying a lot considering and you had done some hot shit in your day. But for some reason, this was notable, almost spiritual. And you weren't even fucking.</p><p>"I want you," you whispered against his lips.</p><p>"You have me," he responded back.</p><p>"I want... all of you."</p><p>Charlie's kiss was so hungry but once he heard those words, he propped himself up from the bathtub, water cascading down his saturated body, clothes clinging to his frame.</p><p>He stepped out, grabbed a towel, and reached for you, a warm smiled painted on his face.</p><p>You looked up at him. The man who broke your heart into pieces within a split second, with no explanation and no mercy, having turned your world upside down. Claiming to be different now. Promising the things he promised he wasn't capable of when you first met him.</p><p>The cloud of lust started to lift slightly as Isabel's words cut through the fog.</p><p>"...don't lose your strength over one guy. Charlie is... replaceable."</p><p>You reluctantly reached up for him, feeling a bit dismayed for allowing him back in so easily.</p><p>The soft, fluffy towel wrapped around your body and you clutched it in your hands. Charlie began removing his wet clothes and hanging them on the towel rack, one piece at a time as you observed him with clear eyes.</p><p>Once bare, he came closer to you, bringing his arms around your towel-covered frame into a warm embrace. "You have all of me, sweetheart."</p><p>"Charlie, I -" you muttered the beginning of your objection against his chest, but the sound of his heart beating heavy next to your ear stopped you.</p><p>You pulled your head away and gazed up at him. He gazed back down at you with tenderness.</p><p>You had been through so much with this man. More ups and downs over the last several months than you had ever experienced during the entire five years you spent with Ben. It seemed you had broken down his walls while you had been building yours up. And although you were still guarded, there was something pulling you to be with him.</p><p>"If you're willing to earn it like you said, then I'm willing to start over with you."</p><p>His face lit up with delight at your statement.</p><p>Call it curiosity, but you wanted to see just how different things would be when Charlie Barber wasn't trying to hide behind some dark, dominant exterior. You'd take the risk of getting hurt again, knowing it could potentially destroy you.</p><p>Even if there were "a thousand 'Charlies' out there," ...this one was yours. </p><p>And one was enough.</p>
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<a name="section0024"><h2>24. A New Life</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>[The morning after the breakup...]</p><p>You laid motionless on the floor, wrapped up in your comforter staring at the empty space under your bed. Your eyes were dry now, as they had been for the last few hours and aching from having cried most of the night. You rolled to your back, overhearing the beginnings of morning commuters outside, car horns, and people walking by chattering on their cell phones. </p><p>Your head was pounding. Your heart was crushed. </p><p>You checked the time. 6:30 AM</p><p>It was far too early for you but sleeping wasn't going to happen so you lifted yourself up to a seated position, feeling almost hungover from emotions. You had never cried so hard in your life. There was one time when your grandpa passed away, with whom you were very close with and you remember crying in your bedroom after your mother told you. You were thirteen and it was the first loss you'd ever felt.</p><p>This felt the same. But somehow heavier. As if a piece of you had died. </p><p>You found the strength to peel yourself off the floor and stretch your sore muscles. You started the shower as a comfort measure to bring you out of your gloom but instead, you had another breakdown before you could even rinse the shampoo from your hair. You blamed the lavender-scented suds that were reminiscent of the shampoo he bought for you that one time.</p><p>Once out of the shower and dried off, you made some coffee. Pouring yourself a cup, you walked over to sit in the chair by the window as you normally do, gazing out while savoring the hot cup of caffeine to wake your body up. But instead, you remembered this was where you were sitting last night when he broke up with you. All of a sudden the chair felt like it was made of nails. You got up and stood in the middle of the room, coffee in hand, glancing around your tiny studio. </p><p>There was nowhere to sit and nowhere to sleep without thinking of him. Your home had been contaminated with memories. It began to anger you how you couldn't find comfort or refuge, even in your own apartment. You recalled how he still had a key, and remembering that he took it without your consent. Your outrage expanded. A mental list of the things Charlie did or said came to mind, as you recounted all the times acted like a controlling asshole.</p><p>You couldn't understand why he didn't want to even attempt to have a relationship with you. One that felt real and wasn't all about his dominance and ownership over you. What was so great about this BDSM life that made him so attached to it?</p><p>You got dressed and made your way down to the local cafe on the corner, finding a table in the back to hide your post-breakup, puffy eyes away as you picked pieces of a muffin apart to eat. </p><p>You were reminded of the time he baked those blueberry muffins for you.</p><p>For crying out loud, can you do anything without thinking of him??</p><p>Pulling out your phone, you sent a text to Jeffrey, asking if he was free to meet up with you. You figured he'd be asleep since it was still fairly early but surprisingly, he answered back quickly and agreed.</p><p>Within an hour or so Jeffrey was seated across from you, leaning in to listen to your tale of heartbreak and deception. Of course, you couldn't control your tears again and Jeffrey handed you a napkin, giving you a moment to yourself before speaking.</p><p>"Well, it sounds to me like... he's kinda fucked up. You know what I mean? Like, maybe this is for the best. He probably would've just hurt you down the road anyway so it's kind of a good thing he ended it before you told him... you know, that you love him."</p><p>You scoffed at the last part. "I'm such an idiot. Why did I even let myself get tangled up with him?"</p><p>Jeffrey reached over and caressed your arm. "Because boo... his dick is big."</p><p>You laughed through your tears at his remark.</p><p>"All I'm saying is... I get it. No judgment. In fact, I'm jealous. I'm sure I'd be crying over it, too."</p><p>"Well I'm not exactly having a good time," you reasoned. </p><p>"Oh c'mon, just go dye your hair, buy a bomb ass outfit, and go back to being the queen you are," he reached over to steal a piece of the muffin you abandoned. "Charlie's fine as hell but... there are other fish in the sea, darling. Plus, you're bi so you have plenty of options. Don't ruin good mascara for too long."</p><p>Maybe he was right. </p><p>You were feeling slightly better after your meet up and decided that yes, you needed a makeover to get refreshed again. It's such a stereotypical thing for a woman to change her appearance after a devastating blow to her self-esteem but you weren't above it.</p><p>You dyed your hair several shades darker, you bought a new black dress, black jeans, black tops, black everything. Finally, your exterior self started to match your interior being. You had begun sleeping in your bed again but only after you brought a random girl home from the bar and fucked her in out of spite. He couldn't tell you what to do anymore so you started rebelling against those arbitrary rules. </p><p>You were a few days into the new you when a text from Scarlett chimed in.</p><p>Hey love, you free for lunch? I'm in the area.</p><p>You hadn't seen her since the threesome and you had been missing her company. A part of you worried if hooking up with her again would only revive that memory. But you were yearning for human connection and someone familiar. </p><p>Yes. I'll send you the address of a new place nearby. 1 PM?</p><p>You sent the text and she replied immediately.</p><p>Perfect, see you then!</p><p>You sat at the booth, scrolling through your phone when you spotted Scarlett walking into the restaurant. You waved her over and she made her way to you. Standing up, you greeted her with a kiss on the cheek. She smelled sweet and seductive like she always does and your endorphins kicked in. </p><p>"Hey, wow. I love this new, dark look you have going on. Suits you well." she complimented, making you feel better already.</p><p>"Thanks. Yeah. It was time for a change," you looked over and recognized how good she looked. "You are ... stunning. Glowing, in fact."</p><p>She gave you a gentle smile as the waitress approached, taking both your orders after dropping off some water.</p><p>You both stared at each other in silence for a moment before you spoke up.</p><p>"I want you to come home with me after this. I miss you." your forward approach made her blush.</p><p>You reached across the table to place your hand on hers but she slowly retreated and it made your stomach drop.</p><p>"I uh... I can't," she admitted. </p><p>You wondered if she assumed you and Charlie were still together so you reasoned with her.</p><p>"Charlie and I aren't together. So... he won't be in the way."</p><p>"No, it's not that. Umm... god this is a lot harder to say than I thought it would be..."</p><p>Your heart started racing, wondering what exactly she was having trouble expressing to you.</p><p>"I met someone. She's... great. And it's serious now. We're in love." she said the last part beaming at you. You realized that's where her newfound glow was coming from. </p><p>The small fraction of your heart that was still beating to keep you alive died. You wanted to be happy for her, you wanted to be a good friend but you were blinded by your own turmoil and fragile emotional state. You sat up straight in the booth and gazed downward.</p><p>"Oh. Okay."</p><p>Scarlett sensed your sadness and felt remorse. "I'm so sorry, I thought you'd be happy for me since it seemed like you and Charlie were doing so good-"</p><p>"We're not good." you swallowed, still avoiding eye contact. "He broke up with me a week ago. Out of nowhere, with some vague excuse. And he hasn't tried contacting me since."</p><p>She reached for your hand this time but you kept them both in your lap. "Jesus. What an asshole. I'm sorry-"</p><p>You peeked up at her with bloodshot eyes and a heart of pure stone.</p><p>"I don't need your sympathy."</p><p>Your rude attitude caught her by surprise and she pulled her hand back.</p><p>"I was just tryin-"</p><p>"Trying to stay on my good side after rejecting me?"</p><p>You knew you were being a total bitch but you felt overwhelmed by losing two lovers at once, realizing you were totally alone now. You felt disheartened by the idea that no one truly wanted to be with you beyond a physical level. You grabbed your purse and stood up from the booth.</p><p>"How about you just call me whenever you're ready to fuck again."</p><p>Scarlett was left speechless watching you walk out of the restaurant. She had never seen you behave so cold-heartedly before. She tried not to take it personally, knowing that it was due to Charlie's actions but she couldn't help but be angry for the way you treated her. </p><p>You walked for what seemed like miles until you reached a random pub, deciding to stop in and grab a drink. You sat at the end of the bar and ordered wine at first, by default, but then after glancing over at the selection of hard liquor, you changed the order to a double rum and coke. </p><p>You finished the first one in under ten minutes, placing another order and getting a refill quickly. You scrolled through your phone again. You saw a picture of Ben and Gabrielle on Instagram and rolled your eyes as you took another long drink. How are you still following this piece of shit? You went to his page and unfollowed. Not long after his post, you saw one of Scarlett. Unfollow.</p><p>You put your phone down and focused on drinking and people watching.</p><p>The bartender tried engaging you in some small talk but you only replied with one-worded answers. They took the hint quickly as they are trained to do and left you alone. </p><p>"Well, well, well... who do we have here?"</p><p>The voice came from behind and you reluctantly turned your barstool around.</p><p>James.</p><p>You gave him an annoyed look and sighed, turning yourself back to the bar.</p><p>"Wait... you look different. Did you change your hair, dollface?" he asked, fingers pinching a strand of your hair so he could examine it closer. You abruptly shooed him away.</p><p>"Ah-ha! There's that spunk. I love it." he pulled up a seat next to you and ordered a drink for himself and another for you. "Drinking alone... that's never a good sign."</p><p>"I'm fine. I don't need company."</p><p>He chuckled. "Yeah but I do. I like company. Keeps me entertained."</p><p>"I'm not here to entertain you."</p><p>The bartender dropped off both drinks giving James a tilted brow as if to say 'careful, she's not in the mood, bro'.</p><p>James bit his bottom lip, resting his hand on the back of your chair.</p><p>"Talk to me. You're upset, I can tell. I'll kick anyone's ass, you just tell me who, kitten."</p><p>You took a long drink, keeping your gaze forward, ignoring his invitation.</p><p>"Hmm.. okay. Let me guess, then. I'll start with the obvious. Charlie?"</p><p>You sighed deeply and gave him a small nod. You blamed the booze for allowing you to admit anything.</p><p>"Alright. What happened?" he asked, taking a sip of his own drink and waiting for your reply. You felt his eyes burning into you.</p><p>"We broke up."</p><p>James lifted his brows. "Ahhh, I see. You're a sub without a daddy now." he practically sang the last part.</p><p>You felt a surge of anger consume you. "What is so fucking great about this club? The handful of times I've been there, I've had minimal fun and I've left pissed off. So what am I missing? Why do people love it so goddamn much?"</p><p>James watched you drunkenly vent in amusement, grinning to himself.</p><p>"Maybe you don't like it because you're not letting yourself be who you want to be. Who you could be. That's the whole point." he took another drink.  "You should walk in and feel liberated. Do what you want, fuck who you want, and not feel bad about it."</p><p>Were you drunk or was James making a lot of sense? You fantasized about how it would feel to give no fucks and just do whatever you wanted. </p><p>"Tell you what. I can get you into the club tonight so you can get a taste of what it's like to do exactly that. Fuck anyone's expectations of you... just come into the club tonight, and you do what you want." he said, pointing at you with his tattooed covered hand that was gripping his glass.</p><p>Your phone vibrated on the bar and you looked at the screen. It was the first communication from Charlie since the breakup.</p><p>How are you?</p><p>Doing just fine daddy, you thought to yourself.</p><p>"Okay. I'll come."</p><p>***********************************************</p><p>James insisted that he take you shopping for new club-worthy clothing. You resisted at first but then figured, why the hell not. If he wanted to spend his money on you, then so be it. The only other options you had in your closet were spoiled with memories of Charlie anyway.</p><p>He took you to a place where he was known a regular, and the shop assistant greeted him as such with a kiss to the cheek. </p><p>"Sofia! Beautiful..." James said, embracing the shop worker. "I have a little friend here who needs your help," he said pouting with his bottom lip and putting his arm around you. "Can you help her find something?" he reached over and caressed the side of her face with his hand.</p><p>She considered him then looked over at you, glancing at your frame up and down. "What a lovely figure... I have plenty for this one," she said with a french accent.</p><p>You tried on probably twenty different pieces before James peeked his head through the curtain at you. You blocked your half nude body with your arms. </p><p>"Hey! Some privacy, please! I'm not done."</p><p>He bit his lip as he checked you out. "What you have on looks fucking amazing, though."</p><p>You scoffed at him, turning to put on the next outfit. "It's just lingerie. But I think this dress is my favorite."</p><p>He slowly crept his way into the dressing room with you as you slipped the dress on. His eyes roamed all over your body, and although he wasn't your favorite person, it did feel good to have someone checking you out after the week of rejection you've had.  </p><p>You felt his hand on your back. "Need some help?" he slowly started to zip up the back of the dress as you watched him through the mirror. He looked captivated by you. </p><p>His deep blue eyes found yours in the mirror. He was always so menacing, but at that moment his expression was softened into one of lust.</p><p>You ran your hands over the fabric of the dress, spreading out any wrinkles and adjusting the fit.</p><p>"Thank you. What do you think?" you asked, twisting your body around to see the back as he continued watching you.</p><p>"On a scale of one to raging hard-on... I'm rock hard."</p><p>You rolled your eyes at him with a smirk. "Whatever..."</p><p>"I'm serious..." he clutched his hard length through his dark pants and you glanced down at him, proving how right he was. "You're one sexy bitch." His other hand brushed some loose hair away from your face and you jerked away from his touch.</p><p>He growled in response.</p><p>"God, you're fucking feisty." he let out a sinister laugh. "Such a bad girl..."</p><p>You turned to face him, eye to eye. "I'm not a bad girl, you're just an asshole," you challenged him with a grin. </p><p>His face lit up with excitement as if you just have him a compliment as opposed to an insult. He unzipped his pants and pulled his length free. You gazed down then back up at him. </p><p>"No one asked you to do that," you said with an attitude.</p><p>He started stroking himself. "No one needs to. This is what it looks like when you stop giving a fuck and do what you want."</p><p>You cocked your brow at him as he backed up and took a seat, leaning back with parted legs and rubbing his hard cock as he looked at you with desire filled eyes. </p><p>"Go ahead, kitten. Try on the next one..."</p><p>If he wanted to jerk himself off while you tried on the clothes he was about to buy for you, that seemed innocent enough. You reached behind your back and unzipped the dress, pushing it down off of your frame and letting it fall to the floor. You were left with a black lace bra, matching panties, and a garter belt attached to the fishnet stocking you were trying out. </p><p>James' lips parted as his breath picked up, eyes rolling up and down on your body. He started stroking himself faster and his excitement made you feel sexy. </p><p>Maybe you should have some fun of your own.</p><p>You looked at yourself in the mirror, admiring your own body as you gripped your breasts, pushing them together and caressed them while running your hands over your decolletage. </p><p>"Oh, fuck yea... play for me..."</p><p>You stopped your movements. "It's not for you... it's for me." you corrected him.</p><p>He grinned and stroked himself more, clenching his jaw. </p><p>You gazed back at yourself in the mirror, relishing how you looked in the lingerie, knowing you were being watched by fervent eyes. You ran your hands down your torso and circled around to your ass, gliding over the curves and you turned to see more of yourself in the mirror. You raised your arms up, lifting your hair along with them and letting it fall back down.</p><p>You heard James becoming more and more eager to cum as you continued caressing your own body only feet away from him. Your core began to ache, wanting to be touched.</p><p>You planted one hand against the mirror and stared at your own reflection, sucking on your fingers before bringing them down and running them against your warm cunt.</p><p>"Fuuuuck..." James whispered to himself. "...you're so fucking hot."</p><p>His compliments turned you on even more as you touched yourself, rolling your hips back and forth against your hand. </p><p>"I bet you're so wet, aren't you..." he pumped his fist on himself, watching you intently. "Yeah... I can hear how wet you are. Shit...."</p><p>You didn't entertain his dirty talk with your own, you were only worried about making yourself cum. His praises were just a bonus.</p><p>He groaned as he got closer. "You gonna cum with me, kitten?"</p><p>You moaned in response. "I'll cum when fucking ready to."</p><p>James chuckled at your insubordination. He loved when you fought back. </p><p>You heard a deep grunt from his throat and you knew he was cumming but you stayed focused on your own reflection and just let the sexual noises in the small room help bring you to the finish line. You shut your eyes tight and held your breath, feeling the high building more and more until finally, it broke through and you exhaled with a shuttered moan of relief. </p><p>You removed your hand from the mirror as you found your balance and breath. You finally gazed over at James who looked like he'd been through the wringer as he held his still swollen cock dripping in his own release. You both smiled and you shook your head at the aftermath of the situation you never dreamed of being in. </p><p>No more fucks to give.</p><p>A few hours later you were at the club, dressed to kill in your new outfit, enjoying a cocktail and some hors d'oeuvres. It was still pretty early, around 9 PM to be exact, so the crowd was fairly small. James told you things would pick up in about an hour. </p><p>A light touch on your shoulder caught your attention and you turned. It was Isabel looking just as posh as ever in her designer clothes, polished hair, and perfectly manicured nails. She said your name in a question and it gave you an indescribable cold chill.</p><p>"Oh, hi, Isabel. I didn't realize you'd be here," you said casually.</p><p>"Ah, well. I do like to keep an eye on things," she remarked, giving you a kind smile.</p><p>At that particular point, all you knew about her was that she and Charlie had some kind of sexual relationship and that she claimed to have "taught him everything he knows" in the bedroom. </p><p>"Oh, do you work here, too?" you asked, figuring if she did then it made a lot of sense.</p><p>She gave you a small chuckle. "Oh, darling. I do more than just work here. I own this place."</p><p>You froze. Holy shit. Why the hell didn't Charlie tell you that Isabel owned the club?</p><p>"I'm sorry, what? You own The Red Room?"</p><p>She shrugged. "I own the whole building, and many other properties in the city but yes. The Red Room was my idea come to life. I've always wanted to create a space like this so... I did." she stated matter of factly as if it was no big deal to be running the largest secret BDSM club in town, possibly the country. </p><p>"Wow. I had no idea."</p><p>She tilted her head at you. "I'm surprised Charlie didn't tell you. Then again, I'm also not surprised. He's a complicated man." She took a sip of her wine. "Will he be joining you this evening?"</p><p>You felt a sharp pain in your chest. "No. Actually, James invited me. Charlie and I... well, we aren't seeing each other anymore."</p><p>She nodded at you. "Well, I would say that's for the best. I like our members to view the club like a playground, where they can just be themselves and have fun. Charlie uses it to work through his inner demons. Which is fine for him, I suppose. But certainly puts a drain on anyone around him."</p><p>You took a sip of your cocktail as James walked up. </p><p>"What are we chatting about? How charming I am?" he said in jest giving you a wink.</p><p>"Actually, I was about to ask this lovely lady if she would like to accompany me up to my office for a business chat," Isabel said to James as you furrowed your brow at her in confusion.</p><p>"Me?"</p><p>She grinned at you. "Yes. And no pressure, really. I just have an opening for a position that I think you'd be a great fit for. So if you're interested, we can chat through some details and you can take some time to decide."</p><p>You looked over at James and he gave you an encouraging look.</p><p>"Oh. Okay. Sure."</p><p>Although you got an unusual vibe from Isabel, a part of you was curious what exactly she had in mind. Not to mention, what kind of salary came with it. You knew Charlie was making a good sum of money from the club so it couldn't hurt to at least see what was being offered. He never seemed to complain to you about Isabel or working there so perhaps it was a good way to make extra money while you tried finding more acting gigs.</p><p>You rode the elevator up to Isabel's office. You were stunned by how extravagant the place was and how she owned all of it. She explained how she inherited the property from her late husband and how she was living out her dreams now. </p><p>You couldn't help but feel envious of someone who was on top of the world when you were feeling at your lowest. But you did get a bit of inspiration from her. She held some kind of aura around her like she had figured out the secret to life. </p><p>She poured you a glass of wine and invited you to sit on her big leather sofa with her. She took off her red bottom heels and curled her legs underneath her. You sat somewhat uncomfortably next to her and crossed your legs.</p><p>"So before we get into all this business talk, why don't you tell me about you? What are your goals, dreams, things that make you happy?"</p><p>You took a deep breath before starting to answer the loaded question.</p><p>"Well, I'm a theater actress... when I can find the work. A massage therapist during the in-between. I want to be a full-time actress, and I think I'm close to getting more broadway gigs, but I've been distracted since my last play. Ideally, I'd love to do some indie films. Maybe travel..." you paused to take a sip of wine as Isabel listened and nodded along.</p><p>"You know, what we do here... the shows we put on, the classes we provide... it's all theater in a way. I mean, everyone involved is acting because it's role play."</p><p>You smirked at the comparison. "Sure... but, like... everyone is also having intercourse, right?"</p><p>Isabel shrugged. "Not all the time but yes, it does happen. But again, it's just acting. These people are putting on a show for an audience who pays for it. It's really no different than acting out a sex scene on stage or on film."</p><p>You were impressed with her justification of it all and you considered the similarities. </p><p>"Okay. You have my attention. What is it that you're looking for?"</p><p>She smiled and got up, walked over to her desk, and pulled out a joint. She gestured to you, "You smoke?"</p><p>You couldn't even remember the last time you got high but it sounded fantastic right now. You nodded and she lit it, taking the first hit before passing it to you.</p><p>"To be honest, I need help running this place. It's grown so much over the last year and while I love it and it's my life, having an extra 'me' around would help greatly." She sat back down next to you as you coughed through your exhale. </p><p>"You..*cough*... want me... to be you?" you asked inquisitively.</p><p>"You'd be in charge of half the staff. The submissives, while I focus on training new dominants and dealing with business transactions."</p><p>You thought about it for a moment. "So I would train and coach submissives? Would I have to perform?"</p><p>Isabel took another drag from the joint. "All of that is negotiable. But, if you do decide to perform, your salary would be much higher."</p><p>You perked up, curious at how much you'd be getting paid. "What uhm... is the salary for something like this?" you asked casually as you took a sip of wine to ease your throat.</p><p>Isabel gave you a wicked grin. "If you perform and become Head Mistress, you're starting salary would be $300,000 a year."</p><p>You choked on your wine. That was almost six times what you currently made. No wonder why Charlie signed up. </p><p>Isabel chuckled at your reaction. "We also throw parties, give out Christmas bonuses..."</p><p>"I uh - let's just say I can't even imagine making that much. It's hard to visualize what my life would be like."</p><p>Isabel considered you for a moment. "How big is your current apartment?"</p><p>You gave her a curious look. "... 200 square feet, I think. It's a studio."</p><p>Isabel's eyes went wide. "Okay, wow." she laughed through the smoke. "I own an apartment complex near here. I could get you situated in a nice one-bedroom that's much bigger. You could move in immediately. And I can arrange to have your current lease bought out so you won't need to worry."</p><p>This woman was solving all your problems with ease. It was as if she was a fairy godmother, sent here to bring you out of your heartbreak and give you the key to a new life. It seemed too good to be true, so you became a bit suspicious of it.</p><p>"Could I have a day or two to think about it?" </p><p>Isabel gave you a kind smile. "Of course. It's a lot of change for you. But trust me... making big changes and taking big risks makes life so much more enjoyable."</p><p>You spent the rest of the evening partying and dancing. It was the kind of night you needed. You swayed to the music, feeling the high from the booze and the drugs as you daydreamed what it would be like to be Head Mistress. You glanced around at all the smiling faces, everyone having the time of their lives, dancing and feeling free to be themselves. </p><p>This could be your new life. It certainly seemed to be leagues above your current life. </p><p>Isabel insisted that you check out the luxury apartment the next day and once you did, it was the icing on the cake. You were in. This was going to be your new life.</p><p>What Isabel ceased to tell you was that your contract differed from everyone else's in a major way. She slipped in two last minute addendums without your knowledge before you signed it. </p><p>1. Authority to use your legal name on any and/or all business transactions.</p><p>2. A $500,000 fine for breaking the contract before the term of two years after the date it was signed.</p><p>It was a trap. Isabel and James needed someone to place blame on in case any of their illegal business dealings they were involved with went awry. They needed a scapegoat. </p><p>And you were perfect. </p><p>**************************************</p><p>Closing note: Not me creating a ruthless world with so much drama in it when y'all just wanna fuck daddy Charlie and be on your merry way.  NOPE. Gotta add a twist. Can't just fuck him without obstacles. You gotta work for that dick. I know, I know, we've already worked so hard already... -xo</p>
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<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Breakthrough</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A/N: lots of fluff in this one. Because we love soft Charlie. </p><p>*****************************************</p><p>Once you had verbalized your agreement to Isabel, she began writing up your contract. When the question of whether or not you would be required to perform or not was mentioned, you asked how it would impact the salary. Isabel informed you quickly that it would be slashed in half, which by all means was still a decent amount of money but at the time, you didn't have any real reason to not perform. The way she presented it as "acting on stage" did pique your interest and if anything, maybe it would be good practice on becoming more comfortable under the spotlight in vulnerable situations. At least that's how you were going to justify it in your head. </p><p>For you, the money was key. It was going to help you get out of debt and set up a nice cushion in your savings so that if you wanted to travel or just take some time away from the spa to audition for more opportunities, you could. </p><p>At that time, your savings account had literally $5.00 in it. The minimum to keep it open and active. The idea of having thousands saved away is something you'd always wanted for yourself so that you could focus on your dreams and not on the enormous task of surviving. </p><p>Whenever you were ready to quit the club, you'd just break your contract. Charlie had mentioned the details of his contract to you in previous conversations, assuring you that he was allowed to walk away at any time. You assumed it was a bylaw in every contract so you didn't ask for specific details. You only asked if breaking the contract was allowed to which Isabel replied "Of course. Whenever you want to."</p><p>....as long as you paid the mere price of half a million certainly didn't make it into the conversation so you remained clueless to the fact. And unfortunately, at this point in time, you had some trust instilled in her as you didn't have any real reason not to. She didn't appear to be deceiving or manipulative, in fact, she had shared more truth with you in those last few days than Charlie ever had. She was so open and honest, not closed off and hiding behind some external image of herself. </p><p>Charlie had continued calling and texting but you were ignoring all communication from his end. Honestly, you had your hands full with moving, giving your final notice into the spa, and trying to focus on your new life without him. Sure, you'd run into him at the club from time to time but at least that reality felt controlled. Emotionally, you were still a mess over him but your sadness and anger were transforming into acceptance with each passing day and you clung to the possibility of being totally over him someday soon.</p><p>Staying away from Charlie was exactly what you needed right now because seeing him would only cause you to revert back to old habits, back to numbing the pain, and back to being blinded by the one thing you still felt for him: love.</p><p>Slowly coming out of your fog of angst towards the world, you found it appropriate to call Scarlett and apologize for your recent behavior. You congratulated her on the new relationship and even though it was painful, you let her walk you through how they met and their current life together. </p><p>"I'm really happy for you Scar. I'm sorry, I should've said that when you first told me," you admitted, holding the phone up to your ear as you gazed out the large window of your new apartment, watching the twinkle of city lights across the Hudson. </p><p>"Thanks. I know you are hurting," she replied, understanding your position. </p><p>You swallowed the grief back. "Yeah. But I'm getting better. The distance is helping," you paused, remembering how Charlie had been trying to contact you. "If you happen to see him, could you not share any details? I mean, if he asks about me. I just need time." </p><p>"Of course."</p><p> </p><p>Once your contract was finished, Isabel sent you the draft to review. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary so you gave her the thumbs up and she requested that you come to meet her to officially sign it. She instructed you to come through the club as she was handling some business there first with James and they would both escort you up to her office. </p><p>It was actually James' idea to have you come through the club. He could still sense your affection and anger for Charlie so he shared with Isabel that it would be wise to have you see Charlie in action right before you signed the contract, distracting you entirely from asking questions or reading any fine print. </p><p>Getting out of the Uber and looking up the building, you were questioning if Charlie was working that evening but figured you'd just keep your head down and direct your attention to what you were there for. </p><p>James and Isabel met you in the main hall and led you through the club to the long corridor of classrooms. There were no doors to these rooms as every class was open for anyone to come and observe. Sexual sounds echoed off the dim hallway walls as you made your way to the elevator. One room, in particular, seemed to have an overly excited female nearly screaming in ecstasy as you approached the doorway. Your curious mind couldn't help but check to see what in the world was so titillating for her.</p><p>That's when everything changed. </p><p>It was only his side profile but it was unmistakable. He stood behind her, his hand at her core, working vigorously as his other hand was wrapped around her throat. His face was strained just as you remembered it would become whenever he was focused on you. This was the first time you saw Charlie with another woman like that and it killed you. Whatever strength you had was demolished as you suddenly reverted back to sorrow, anger, and now a newer emotion arose: hatred.</p><p>You never thought of yourself as being an overly jealous person but for whatever reason,  this man...Charlie fucking Barber... could bring out the best yet worse parts of your ego.</p><p>Although you felt yourself slow down as your breath halted from shock, you kept walking, following Isabel to the elevator. If you still had a beating heart, it would have been shattered again. But you had no tears left for Charlie. Instead, you remained in an introspective daze of hate and disappointment. </p><p>You stepped into the elevator, standing in between Isabel and James with your eyes pulled down. You lifted your gaze slightly and locked eyes with Charlie who was a few meters down the hall. He was clearly surprised to see you but also carried a hint of concern. You watched him advance towards the elevator doors as they closed. </p><p>Your brain was a flurry of illogical and irrational thoughts, all tied to every single emotion you had ever felt for him. There was no right answer at that moment other than signing your contract and taking the first step into what you hoped would be a better life. </p><p> </p><p>***********************************</p><p> </p><p>[Present day...]</p><p>After the bath, Charlie carried you out of the bathroom and laid you down on the bed, taking a seat next to you and leaning down to place a delicate kiss on your lips. His hand moved up to stroke your cheek as he slowly pulled away to admire you. </p><p>You were overwhelmed by the amount of devotion in his dark, hazel eyes. This was a new level of Charlie, one without barriers, or some kind of secret code to unlocked. Or maybe there was a secret code and you had somehow by accident figured it out. </p><p>He was so beautiful, leaning above you with the soft warm glow of street lights gleaming in from the window. When he smiled you couldn't help but match it with your own.</p><p>"I hated being away from you," he whispered. "I felt so lost."</p><p>His fingertips traced your collarbone and his eyes followed. "I'm so sorry for what I did."</p><p>You held back your own tears just as his were beginning to form, glistening in the whites of his eyes.</p><p>"I honestly thought you had moved on. I saw a picture that you posted. And I knew James was with you," Charlie studied the features along your chest as his hand gingerly moved down simply enjoying the softness of your skin. "I felt like a jealous boyfriend, thinking about him being with you," he chuckled. </p><p>You felt a burden in your heart underneath his gentle touch. </p><p>"I've never let James touch me, except for that one night with you there," you said, feeling Charlie become uneasy next to you, cursing the memory. You doubted if you should elaborate about the whole dressing room incident. You didn't even look at James during the deed, you had only watched yourself getting yourself off in the mirror. James just happened to be there with his cock out observing you the whole time. </p><p>Charlie acknowledged and brought his hand up to caress your hair. You realized if you were going to start over with him you needed to set clear expectations right away of what you wanted from each other. Otherwise, the heartache was bound to happen again.</p><p>You carefully pushed yourself up and leaned against the headboard, feeling nervous to expose your feelings but knowing it was necessary. </p><p>"Charlie, if we're going to do this again, I need to speak my truth and set my boundaries," you were already pleased with yourself for saying that much but you persevered through the anxiety. "Because unlike last time when I was just looking to have fun after my break from Ben, that's not where my mind is anymore. Especially with you."</p><p>His lips pressed together as he swallowed, keeping his focus solely on you as you spoke. You found it difficult to meet his intense gaze so your eyes danced all around him as you continued to share.</p><p>"I need to know we will be committed to each other. I don't want to share you with anyone, I want to create a sense of trust first before we ever explore anything like that again," you finally found the courage to look him in the eye. "I want you all to myself. I want to be allowed to be selfish of you."</p><p>You gradually took in a deep inhale through your nose, letting Charlie absorb your needs and wants as you tried to bring your nerves back in check. You sought to decipher his reaction but, as usual, his expression was unreadable. </p><p>Charlie felt immensely fulfilled by your admission. Even though he still assumed to be undeserving of you and your love, he was trying so hard to let himself just accept it. Accept the acknowledgment of being chosen. Accept that you wanted only him. Before you, he never felt he could fully be himself and still be loved. But you wanted him even during his darkest moments and through all the ups and downs. </p><p>His hand found yours, seizing it as he looked into your eyes. </p><p>"I only want you, too. I want all the things you want."</p><p>Comfort washed over you hearing his words. It seemed you could finally breathe easily now appreciating that you both wanted the same thing. Breaking your contacts with Isabel was a definitive step you'd both have to take. Your bond was maturing and although it was a solid start, it still felt fragile and you wanted to be tender with it.</p><p>The last time you both had sex was during your argument in the elevator which only ended with Charlie begging for forgiveness. Sex had been the foundation of your relationship up until now but you wanted this new beginning to be based on something much more substantial, more meaningful.</p><p>"Can we take things slow for now? I want you so badly, but I just need some time before we are totally physical in that way again." You knew this would be a true test of commitment for you both, but that's exactly what you lacked. A test of emotional loyalty.</p><p>Charlie was slightly disappointed but understood the weight of your request. He chewed on his cheek, gazing down your body then back up at you.</p><p>"Can I still touch you?" </p><p>He always made you feel so desired and wanted. Even if you tried to hold back, you did miss his hands; he had the best ones. There was no way you'd be able to not let him touch you, so you internally compromised.</p><p>"Touch me how? Can you show me?" You bit your bottom lip as the corners of your mouth upturned. </p><p>His lips were parted as his breath became heavy, moving his hand from yours and up to your mouth. You released your bottom lip from your clenched teeth, as his thumb pulled it down slightly, opening his own mouth with hunger at the sight of you. </p><p>Your lip slipped away from his thumb as it grazed your chin, moving down to your neck, gingerly skimming further to your chest, softly cupping and caressing as if it was the first time he'd ever touched you there. </p><p>Your pulse was radiating through every fiber, heat spreading, following his hand to each place he appreciated. </p><p>With his eyes on yours, he leaned down, taking in the delicate surface of your breast into his mouth, sucking and swirling your nipple as his eyes closed to cherish the taste of something as unadorned as your natural skin.</p><p>Pulling his lips away with the sound of a kiss, his eyes found yours again, moving one hand down as the other moved up to the side of your face, holding your gaze on him. He brushed the outer parts of your core with his fingers, gently, tenderly, as you both stared at one another with pure instinctual desire coursing through your bodies.</p><p>He dragged the bit the natural wetness from between your aching folds, massaging up and down, coating the rest of you as he watched your face flush with lust.</p><p>Sexual touches from him never felt so intense and vividly erotic. There was something so powerful in holding back the urge to tear into one another, wanting so much to be one again, thrusting and thrashing yourselves against each other without inhibition. But instead, this was a focused effort to not do that, only letting the small act of touch be the driver of pleasure. </p><p>He pushed his finger past the threshold and inside as your walls accepted and tightened around his thick digit.</p><p>His eyes were burning into you, imagining what the sensation would feel like around his cock instead. He pulled out then back in again, gripping the side of your face, watching your eyes flutter to stay open with each stroke of his finger. </p><p>He loved seeing you like this, so entranced by his touch, melting into him with each passing second. </p><p>"Stay with me, sweetheart... keep your eyes on mine," he instructed, slipping a second finger in, causing your jaw to fall open and a moan escape but you never let your gaze fall from his. "Good girl."</p><p>The ability to kept your focus locked on his became increasingly difficult as your impulse to cum started rising. </p><p>"I love how your hands feel on my body..." you whimpered, yearning for his touch, wanting to feel more of him but keeping yourself in the moment. </p><p>"Yeah...?" he replied, heavy breath leaving from between his lips. "What else do you love?" he asked, searching your face for answers to the silent plea underneath. He wanted so badly to hear you say it. Even if he didn't deserve it, he wanted it, he dreamed of hearing you say the words. </p><p>Your breath hitched, his fingers burying deep into your cunt, curling to feel all of you.</p><p>"I love...” your breath hitched. “...when you do that..." you encouraged, holding back your breath, neck extending as you closed your eyes.</p><p>Charlie was underwhelmed with your answer, bringing back his move to one of less intensity, watching you exhale.  </p><p>"What else... what else do you love?" he insisted, pulling your gaze back to his. "Tell me."</p><p>Once you realized the true meaning of his plea, your chest iced over, feeling disabled to omit something so meaningful although he was begging for it. You did love him; you always had. But admitting it out loud to him wasn't so easy for you. Fearful to take such a big leap into that world with him just as you were beginning to start over with each other.</p><p>"Charlie..."</p><p>He pressed his forehead against yours, noses brushing together, his fingers driving in deeper.</p><p>"Please..." he begged. "Tell me." </p><p>His eyes glassed over and his touch which had been smooth and sensual on you grew more irregular and rapid.</p><p>"Charlie...I -"</p><p>His hand was thrusting now at a pace to throw off your mental clarity and push you into a world of drunken passion. You moaned loudly, misplacing your train of thought, writhing against his hold on you. He still hated when you called him Charlie instead of his acclaimed nickname but he was trying to get past all those old rules. He wanted to hear his name from your mouth when you admitted your love. </p><p>You were moaning wildly now, climax boiling up to the surface as your hands seized his tensed biceps. </p><p>"Say it..." he murmured against your lips. "Tell me what else you love, princess."</p><p>It became clear he was trying to trick you into saying it while in the throes of passion.  That's not how you wanted this to happened. You both owed it to yourselves to say it with total coherent intentions. </p><p>When the rush of your climax hit, you squeezed your eyes shut and gripped the wrist of the hand bringing you to the peak. He didn't stop until he felt the pulsating of your walls subside. </p><p>When you finally opened your eyes, you witnessed a stray tear rolling down his depleted face.</p><p>Once you caught your breath, you latched onto the sides of his swelled face, bringing his attention to you to make him understand that you didn't disregard him. </p><p>"My affection for you runs deep, Charlie. It's irresistible. You don't need to convince me of it."</p><p>He swallowed at your words, knowing it was a desperate attempt on his part and feeling completely shameful for it but also comforted by your admission. This was why you were meant for him. </p><p>"I'm sorry..." he whispered through bloodshot eyes. </p><p>You ran your thumb across his cheek, wiping away the trail of despair left behind.</p><p>"Can I touch you now?" you asked, voice laced with desire.</p><p>He promptly nodded between your hands, eagerly moving his body to lay down beside you, beaming to feel your hands on his own flesh. </p><p>You were careful not to hurt your injured ankle further as you moved to focus your full attention on him just as he had done to you. </p><p>His heavy frame was placed down next to you, flat on his back as your moved to straddle him. His growing erection remained under you, unbothered, as you brought your attention to his face, leaning down and kissing him deeply. His hands found the smoothness of your thighs, sliding up to grasp the curves of your hips.</p><p>Your kisses moved down to his neck, inhaling his masculine scent along the way, lips trailing down as the peak of your tongue explored every arch and slope of his muscular chest. His salty skin satisfied your aching hunger for him, while moving your hands all over his upper body, relishing in his healing warmth beneath you. </p><p>Charlie's heart was pounding in his chest, his hands working through the wisps of your hair that had fallen forward over your face as you moved like a goddess above him. </p><p>You coasted both hands down his smooth abdomen until you reached his throbbing cock that was pressed against him between your legs. You lightly skimmed your fingers over his length, teasingly, watching him twitch. He tilted his neck to watch, jaw slacked and panting heavily.</p><p>You rubbed your wet cunt back and forth over the underside of his length, feeling him throb with every push and pull.</p><p>“Fuck, baby, don’t tease me like that. You know I miss that pussy.” He groaned, watching you slide back and forth on him.</p><p>You doubled down, letting a trail of spit leave your lips and fall onto his hankering cock. You heard him moan as his head dropped back onto the pillow, eyes closing to savor your next move. Spreading the natural lubricate over the head of his dick, you stroked his massive size, lifting it up and seizing it with both hands. </p><p>Sensually running your hands up and down, swirling the tip and igniting his nerves on fire, you so badly wanted to suck his cock. By then, you couldn't even remember the last time you had, almost forgetting how compelling it was to make Charlie cum with just your mouth. </p><p>You shifted your body down, resting on your knees between his legs and drawing your lips down to him, licking a long straight line from the bottom of his shaft to the very tip, bringing your gaze to him, watching his chest pitch and face become tense from your move. </p><p>Whirling your tongue over the peak of his dick several times before taking him inside your warm mouth with a satisfied moan. </p><p>"Holy-fucking-shit..."</p><p>His words came out as one in a long exhale, taking his palms up to his head, and running his fingers through the dark locks of his hair, clutching as he relished in what could only be described by him as the greatest fucking feeling in the world. He missed this so much. You gave the best head, always doing precisely what he wanted yet somehow surprising him with new sensations.</p><p>You felt his hips rocking up, meeting your mouth with every stroke, causing you to accept more and more of his girth. Relaxing your jaw only helped so much, but you did your best with the help of both hands to cover his entire manhood, sucking and stroking as you listened for his vocal queues of his summit coming to the edge. </p><p>Charlie hands moved from his hair to yours, taking handfuls and gripping as the surge of hormones overcame him while thrusting his hips up faster as you closed your eyes and prepared for his climax.</p><p>"Fuck... fuck.... that's it... that's a fucking good girl... take it... take it all..." he spoke through clenched teeth.</p><p> With his breath held back in his chest, he released himself fully inside your hungry, wet mouth, his stocky legs trembling as pleasure escaped his body. You loved making such a broad man crumble like this under your sensual touch. </p><p>Ironic how you both were searching for power and control when you'd always had it, here, with each other.</p><p>You swallowed, moaning on his cock before swallowing again. </p><p>Once you felt his grasp on your hair relax you pulled your mouth away from him, wiping any remains from your mouth. He was staring up at the ceiling catching his breath when you saw a big smile spread across his face. </p><p>"You are fucking amazing," he chuckled. "Like... you deserve a Tony Award for that shit. Best Blowjob of the Year... goes to you," he said through labored breaths. </p><p>You smiled, holding both hands up. "The award winner would like a towel, please."</p><p>Charlie looked over at you, amused at how you were practically still dripping with his cum. </p><p>"Jesus... that was more than I thought..." he laughed. "Stay put, I'll take care of you, princess."</p><p>A feeling of affection swept over you as you stayed perched on the bed, trying to avoid your now extremely swollen ankle. Charlie returned with a washcloth to clean your face and hands. He glanced down to your ankle. "Oh, shit. It looks worse. You alright?"</p><p>You frowned, bringing your freshly clean hand down to touch it. "I don't know. It's not broken but it's definitely fucked up."</p><p>Charlie considered you with concern on his face. "Let's take you to the clinic tomorrow to get it checked out. They can give you a compress and something for the pain. Do you want more Tylenol?" he asked, walking over to get the bottle on your nightstand. </p><p>"Sure."</p><p>You watched in amusement as a naked Charlie dashed all over the place to get you meds, water and help you to a comfortable position in bed. </p><p>Once settled he walked over to the other side of the bed and crawled under the covers. You realized this was the first time Charlie had ever slept in this bed, your bed that he bought for you. Funny how it's taken so long to get here. </p><p>You reached for the TV remote and turned on your favorite Netflix show: Stranger Things. Charlie curled up next to you and kissed your shoulder. </p><p>"Have you seen this?" you asked.</p><p>"Mm... nope," he murmured. "I don't watch a lot of TV." </p><p>"You don't watch Netflix? You're missing out. I don't really think of it like TV. It's more like HBO..."</p><p>Charlie hummed and nestled next to you, brushing his nose against your arm, placing another kiss on your skin. You missed how affectionate he could be. Taking notice of him, you slipped your fingers through his hair and kissed his forehead, returning the kindness. He gazed up at you with soft eyes, almost in awe at your response. </p><p>This was certainly new territory for you both. But so far, it was the most delightful breakthrough to have overcome the ugliest parts of your relationship to date. </p><p>Within the hour Charlie was snoring next to you, having fallen asleep as your eyes were glued to the TV. You grinned at his relaxed state and leaned over to kiss his broad bicep. You recalled his desperate attempt from earlier and your heart pained to know that his perception of love was so skewed, so damaged, to think that he had to trick you into saying it. </p><p>Keeping your lips centimeters from his skin, you looked up to ensure he was still sleeping.</p><p>"I love you."</p><p>The whisper on his skin seemed louder than you intended. You froze unsure if he heard you in the silence of the room. Another snore filled the dead air and you smiled, relieved that it was still a private moment.</p><p>You'd say it to him when the time was right, when he could really understand and accept it. But for now, it felt nice to have a practice round by yourself.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. #10: Midnight Snack with Charlie</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>TW: Cheating warning! Charlie and Nicole are not yet divorced, they still live together but they are separated (emotionally and sexually). Charlie is sleeping on the couch and you are their live-in nanny. Now go be a hoe about it...</p><p>**************************************</p><p>You laid awake in your room after finishing your latest romance novel you'd been reading, still daydreaming about the steamy sex scenes. You weren't tired even after touching yourself, knowing real sex would put you out like a light, but you hadn't had it in forever.</p><p>Looking at the clock, it read 2AM. You'd have to be awake in four hours to make sure Henry had breakfast before you took him to school. Being the Barber's nanny was an easy enough gig. You had been taking care of Henry for the last five years but with the divorce on the horizon, Charlie told you that they'd have to let you go due to financial restraints. You had one more week left as their live-in nanny before you had to find another job and home.</p><p>You quietly got out of bed to head into the kitchen for a late-night snack, trying to tiptoe your way down the hall as to not wake anyone. You were surprised to see Charlie already in the kitchen, leaning against the counter in his white t-shirt and blue boxers with a bowl of cereal and spoon up to his mouth.</p><p>"Oh, hey," you whispered. "Sorry, I just couldn't sleep so I came to get-"</p><p>"A snack?"</p><p>He finished your sentence with a charming grin as he licked the bit of milk from his lips.</p><p>You smiled back. Charlie was an attractive man, but you never acted inappropriately around him. He was always friendly but professional towards you so having a crush on him wasn't something you allowed yourself to have over the years. However, ever since Nicole kicked him out of their bedroom weeks ago and made him sleep on the couch, you noticed his gaze on you tended to linger a bit longer than usual. His smile became more arousing and he appeared to almost flirt with you at times.</p><p>You'd be lying if you said you hadn't fantasized about fucking him. To be quite honest, you had just gotten yourself off to the idea of him coming into your bedroom and quietly eating you out. Charlie had the kind of mouth you craved to have on your body.</p><p>You walked over to the refrigerator, grabbed the gallon of milk, and placed it on the counter next to the box of cereal that Charlie had left out. Perching up on your tiptoes, you reached for a bowl from the cabinet. Charlie was blocking the utensil draw with his body when you gazed up at him in a silent plea so you could get a spoon.</p><p>He stared down at you, taking his last bite of cereal and watching how you waited patiently for him to move. He swallowed and licked his lips again.</p><p>"Do you want me to move?"</p><p>He was teasing you.</p><p>"Yes," you whispered with a smirk.</p><p>His hooded eyes scanned down your body then back up.</p><p>"Yes... what?"</p><p>He asked, raising the bowl of milk up to his mouth and drinking what was left. You watched as a trail of white liquid dripped down the corner of his mouth to his chin. You wanted to lap it up and let him rail you right there. </p><p>"Yes... please?"</p><p>He swallowed, placing the empty bowl on the counter and wiping his chin with the back of his hand. He brought his spoon up to his mouth next, turning it over and cleaning it off as he ran out of his mouth and past his full lips. He then offered it to you as opposed to moving so you could get one of your own from the drawer.</p><p>You reluctantly took it from his grasp but once you did, a small hint of a grin emerged on his face.</p><p>"Good girl. Don't dirty more dishes for daddy to do," he whispered.</p><p>Well, fuck.</p><p>This was a new level of flirting and it made your head spin. Without a word, you turned to pour cereal in the same bowl that he used, followed by some milk. You felt his eyes searing into you as you prepare your own snack.</p><p>You leaned against the counter across from him, bringing the first bite of cereal up to your mouth while keeping your eyes locked on his. He silently watched you eat as he crossed his arms, hand rubbing his chin as he studied your every move. </p><p>Your heart sprang in your chest when his eyes moved down to your pajama shorts as he chewed his bottom lip.</p><p>You wondered how long it had been since Charlie had sex. A part of you felt bad for him, knowing he was struggling without any intimacy, or privacy for that matter, since he was on the couch.</p><p>Considering the fact that your employment with the family was over in a week, and the truth that you were dying to be touched, you decided to test the waters and see what would happen. Nicole was asleep in the bedroom down the hall so you knew it was a precarious move.</p><p>"Still hungry, daddy?"</p><p>His eyes darted up from your center and held steady on your face, looking stunned that you would engage with him in such a manner.</p><p>Well, guess you're getting fired.</p><p>He lifted himself off the counter and slowly approached you as your entire body buzzed with anxiety, not knowing what to expect. He took the bowl of cereal from you and sat it down on the counter.</p><p>Towering over you, only inches away, you could practically feel the heat radiating from his massive frame. You had to tilt your neck to look up at him, a stuttered breath escaping your chest.</p><p>"Do you have something else for me to eat?" his voice was hoarse and vibrational, looking down at you.</p><p>All you could manage to do was nod with approval since every muscle in your body was quivering. </p><p>You felt his generous hand move in between your bodies to pull the waistband of your shorts away from your skin as he slid down, grazing his fingers against your sex that was already dripping to be touched. His lips parted with heavy breaths when he realized how wet you were. Pulling his hand up, he examined the pads of his fingers in awe, glistening with your juices.</p><p>He brought his fingers into his mouth, sampling the taste and humming as he let his lids close, savoring your sex.</p><p>Pulling his digits away from his mouth with the sound of a kiss as he looked at you in amazement.</p><p>"I've wanted to taste you for so long."</p><p>Your face blushed and you bit back your smile.</p><p>His thumbs tucked into the sides of your shorts, ready to tear them off.</p><p>"Can you stay quiet and keep secrets, beautiful?" he whispered above you.</p><p>You gazed up at him, knees weak and head feeling light.</p><p>"I can keep secrets. But I can't always stay quiet when I cum," you replied, in all honesty, which Charlie appeared to appreciate giving you a slight smirk.</p><p>You felt your shorts slide down and in unison Charlie slowly dropped to his knees.</p><p>His face was mere inches from your core, panting wildly for his thirst to be quenched by you. His wide eyes moved up as if to ask for permission to which you granted by sitting on the edge of the counter and spreading your thighs for him.</p><p>His warm mouth was immediately on you, lapping up your sex and sucking on all the right spots. He guided your legs to rest over his broad shoulders as he settled into you further, running his mouth back and forth and up and down to taste all of you.</p><p>You held all sound deep within your chest and throat, only using heavy breaths to steady your excitement. When Charlie let out a moan against your pussy, you couldn't help but respond with your own.</p><p>Your hand gripped the locks of his hair and you moved your hips in sync with his mouth. He moaned again at your eagerness for him, pulling away momentarily to take a few deep breaths.</p><p>"Jesus... so fucking good... " he whispered before diving back in to suck hard on your clit.</p><p>You tensed your jaw firmly unable to hold back your moan that had now transformed into a throttled groan.</p><p>"Charlie... Charlie... I can't -" you pleaded as quietly as you could.</p><p>He pulled away, lifting himself up from his knees and seizing the sides of your face, lips wet with your sensuality.</p><p>"I want you to cum for me. I won't stop until you do." He affirmed, before embedding two fingers deep into your cunt, clutching the back of your neck and pulling you into a ravenous kiss. You whined into his mouth, growing desire flashing through your veins, eager to cum. </p><p>When your moans became louder, he pulled his mouth away from yours and depressed your tongue with a claw, three thick digits filling your mouth entirely, muzzling you to submission, noises vibrating into his hand as he watched you writhed under his burning touch. </p><p>Your hands bunched up his t-shirt along his sides, gripping for salvation as your peak quickly rose. You moved down, slipping your soft hand down under his boxers, clasping his ready, swollen cock, hot and red from the rush of blood pumping through him.</p><p>"Fuck..." he hissed through cletched teeth, thrusting his hand into your dripping wet cunt with urgency. He curled his fingers to feel all of you, caressing the walls of your pulsating pussy. "You want my cock, don't you?"</p><p>Humming in agreement, droll fell from your mouth as you gagged on his fingers, trying your best to draw labored breaths through your nose as a white sheet of warmth hit you, every muscle in your body cletching. </p><p>Charlie quickly removed his hand from your core, pulling his cock free and shoving himself inside just as you came. </p><p>His round, dark eyes stared deep into yours, plunging himself in as far as he could to feel every bit of you milking against his girth while you shuddered from being split open wide at the very cusp of your orgasm. It had been so long since he fucked anyone and his blood boiled with desire, needing so much more. </p><p>He slowly released your jaw, your chin soaked from choking hard against his fingers as he kept himself buried deep within you, relishing in every twitch of aftershock from your quivering cunt.</p><p>You were both breathless, chests swelling together as your legs remained open with him in between. He slowly pulled out, cloaked in your juices, grasping his hard length in his hand.</p><p>"I'll wait for you later after you take Henry to school. She won't be here then," his hand pinched your chin, angling your face up for him to scrutinize. "I'm going to defile you in every room of this house while you beg for mercy."</p><p>You swallowed, watching him bow down to place a soft kiss on your lips. </p><p>Brushing his prominent nose against yours...</p><p>"Would you like that, sweetheart?"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0027"><h2>27. Love</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A/N: deeply romantic 'feel good' chapter but it ends on a cliffhanger, just FYI :) </p><p>**************************************</p><p>Charlie awoke just before dawn, seeming refreshed for the first time in a long time. He glanced over and saw you sound asleep, looking so peaceful in your slumber and he smiled to himself, heart feeling full and content with the idea of a second chance with you.</p><p>He turned on his side, watching your steady breath come and go. Carefully, he reached for your hand that was resting on the pillow and gently pulled it to his soft lips, kissing and tracing his mouth with the crown of your knuckle.</p><p>He paused, entranced with the unfamiliar experience of feeling completely and entirely whole for the first time in his life.</p><p>"I love you."</p><p>The whisper against your hand rewarded no sound or movement which made him grin, kissing your hand once more before slowly placing it back down on the pillow where he found it. He gradually raised himself from the bed, walking out and into the bathroom.</p><p>Slowly, you opened your eyes as tears started to form.</p><p>You had heard him.</p><p>Charlie loved you in the same way you loved him; unconditionally enough to say it without requiring a reply. For the simple act of needing to say it because it was burning inside him.</p><p>You turned over, wiping your eyes and gazing out the large window, the city lights looking like dancing starbursts behind your glistening irises as you blinked to dry them.</p><p>Charlie came back into the room momentarily to grab his phone and lean across the bed, gently kissing your shoulder. You pretended to still be asleep as you sensed him softly walk out and close the door.</p><p>A part of you worried he was going to leave and you hated how it made you feel. But then you heard sounds of coffee being made and your heart pitched. Maybe you wouldn't have to worry about those things anymore. Maybe he was here to stay and you could rest comfortably knowing he was reliable like that.</p><p>You bought yourself out of bed, limping and hopping over to your dresser to put on some comfy loungewear. You made your way over to the doorway and peeked out. Charlie was preparing coffee wearing your bright purple bathrobe. You smirked at how tight and short the sleeves were on his larger-than-average build, the bottom hem hitting mid-thigh with stalky legs on display.</p><p>"Well don't you look precious," you said in a sweet tone.</p><p>Charlie glanced up with a cute smile. "Thank you. I've been told purple is semi-dashing on me." He walked over to help you to the dining chair. "I didn't expect you to be up so early. Did you sleep okay?"</p><p>"Yeah... I slept great, actually." you gave him a kind smile in return.</p><p>He brought you a cup of coffee and sat down across from you with his own.</p><p>"Me too, thanks to you," he said, giving you a wink as he took a sip.</p><p>You took a deep breath, coming to realize what you had ahead of you.</p><p>"I guess after the clinic we should pay Isabel a visit and void our contracts together?"</p><p>Charlie nodded, drinking his coffee. "Yes, let's do that." He reached across the table for your hand. "I can't wait to see the look on her face. It will be priceless," he smirked.</p><p>The buzzing of Charlie's phone caught you off guard since it was so early the morning. He looked at the screen and pinched his brow.</p><p>"It's my ex-wife's mother..." he said inquisitively, seeming unsure why she would be calling at such an odd hour. "I'll need to take this."</p><p>"G-ma?" he answered. "Everything alright?"</p><p>Seconds passed as all the color drain from Charlie's face and you knew something bad had happened.</p><p>"Is she okay??" the anxiety in his voice was coming to the surface as his gaze danced all over the table in front of him, sorting through all his thoughts.</p><p>"Okay. Okay, alright. I'll be there as soon as I can," he said next while nodding. "Okay, love you, too."</p><p>Charlie took a deep breath, exhaling through puffy cheeks before looking up at you.</p><p>"Nicole's been in an accident. She was on her way back from filming on set and got rear-ended on the highway."</p><p>"Oh my god, is she okay?" you asked, watching Charlie fiddle with his phone in deep thought.</p><p>"Yeah, it sounds like she will be, but she's in the hospital right now. I need to fly out there, Henry needs me."</p><p>"Yeah, of course."</p><p>Charlie looked over at you, chewing on the inside of his cheek, considering all options since he didn't want to leave you. Not only were you still limping around from your swollen ankle but he was hesitant to leave town right after you both decided to make things work.</p><p>"Will you come with me?"</p><p>You didn't expect the invite but you were, of course, happy to hear it.</p><p>You smiled at him.</p><p>"Sure, I'd love to. But what about the club and contracts?" you asked, wondering if he was still planning to take care of it today. You were technically on the schedule for this evening and Charlie was scheduled for a show tomorrow.</p><p>He shrugged. "I'm not worried about it. I say we skip town and deal with it when we get back. What will she do? Fire us?" he joked. You recalled how threatening she sounded the other day when she warned you not to ruin another one of her classes.</p><p>"I don't know, Isabel freaks me out sometimes. One minute she's acting like your best friend and the next... she behaves like she could get away with murdering you in your sleep."</p><p>Charlie smirked at your portrayal of her. "Isabel likes to think she has more power over people than she actually does. I used to let her get to me like that, but I"ve learned that she's weak and full of empty threats. Once you figure that out, she won't get under your skin."</p><p>You smiled. "Okay. Well, in that case... let's pack our bags and go to LA today."</p><p> </p><p>Within a few hours later, you were both waiting to board the airplane at JFK. Charlie was making some last-minute changes to your seats since he was able to upgrade you both to first class. You waited for him by the gate and once he finished he came over to you, holding out his elbow for you to take his arm.</p><p>"C'mon, Limpy. Daddy got you some more leg room," he quipped as you took the offering of his assistance with a smirk.</p><p>As you settled into your first-class seats, you took the window and Charlie took the isle.</p><p>"Welcome aboard, may I get you a beverage before take-off?"</p><p>Charlie quickly glanced at you then looked up at the flight attendant.</p><p>"Two mimosas, please."</p><p>"Of course."</p><p>You nudged his shoulder with your elbow. "A little early for a cocktail," you teased.</p><p>"It's never too early for a mimosa, sweetheart."</p><p>He wasn't wrong, you loved a good mimosa with brunch. The flight attendant dropped off two champagne flutes and you felt almost guilty for being so extravagant under the circumstances of Nicole's condition. Charlie seemed comfortable, though, as he clinked his glass against yours before taking a sip. You did the same and hummed in delight.</p><p>"Mmm, I almost feel like I'm on vacation, as silly as it sounds. I can't even remember the last time I traveled like this."</p><p>He reached for a book out of his bag and snickered. "Well, let's not count this as our first vacation. I'd rather go somewhere more interesting than LA to make those kinds of memories with you."</p><p>Butterflies. You smiled wide at his comment.</p><p>"Where would you rather go? You know... if we planned something like that?"</p><p>Charlie opened his book and flipped to the page where he left off.</p><p>"Italy, Spain... both have fascinating cultural scenes," he suggested, scanning the words on the pages in front of him.</p><p>"I've never been to Europe," you smiled to yourself, fantasizing what it would be like.</p><p>Charlie looked over at you, noting how your eyes had closed so you could picture it. He was mesmerized at how beautiful you looked at that moment, dreaming about exploring the world with him.</p><p>His hand found yours resting on your leg and he intertwined his fingers into yours. You opened your eyes to him smiling, pulling your hand up to his lips for a kiss.</p><p>The flight was just over six hours long and you slept for most of it, sinking against Charlie's shoulder and waking when you heard the captain over the speakers. You felt a kiss on the top of your head as you rubbed your eyes.</p><p>"Almost there, princess."</p><p>Waking your body up, you stretched, noticing that Charlie was diligently working away on his laptop, writing what appeared to be a dialogue script. It piqued your interest since you didn't realize he was a writer.</p><p>"Is this a new project?"</p><p>Charlie was nervous to share the details but he didn't want to hide anything from you.</p><p>"Yeah. It is. It's a screenplay idea that I'm trying to get off the ground," Charlie took a large inhale, puffing his chest out and settling back into his seat.</p><p>"What's it about?" you asked, resting your chin on your hand.</p><p>Charlie chewed on his bottom lip, staring at the screen in front of him and nodding. "My marriage. Well, the divorce, rather. Examining it from both sides and our experiences. It's been cathartic to write. I'm realizing how wrong I was about so much." he admitted with a sigh, having had to look at everything from Nicole's point of view. "I think if I can get it out, maybe it can help others see these painful, private moments through a new lens. A less judgemental lens."</p><p>You respected how Charlie was able to take such an unpleasant, personal experience and transform it into a brilliant life lesson, not only for himself but for others. There was something sexy about a man who can admit when he's wrong. Integrity holds so much power and it seemed you were both learning how to use it more often in your blooming kinship.</p><p>You landed safely in LA and headed straight to Nicole's mother's home where Henry was staying. The closer you got the more nervous you became for reasons you weren't totally sure of. You had met Henry months ago but this would be the first time you'd meet anyone else that was close to Charlie's past.</p><p>As the car pulled up to the house, Charlie reached over and squeezed your thigh with encouragement.</p><p>You saw an older woman looking overjoyed to see Charlie getting out of the car, shuffling down the driveway with arms wide open.</p><p>"Charlie-bird!"</p><p>The nickname made you giggle to yourself while you watched them embrace in a warm hug.</p><p>You slowly approached, almost feeling like a third wheel, when Charlie released the hug and reached out for you with a huge smile. </p><p>"Sandra, this is my girlfriend..."</p><p>Your name reverberated from his lips but you didn't even hear it, having been metaphorically knocked to the ground by the title of girlfriend being regarded so casually as if he had said it many times before now.</p><p>You still managed to shake Sandra's hand even though your heart was bursting inside of you, eardrums ringing from the silent chaos happening behind the walls of your chest.</p><p>"Oh my gosh, it's so nice to meet you! Thank you both for coming so quickly, I was nervous to call because it all just happened so fast..."</p><p>"Of course, how is she?" Charlie asked as you all walked up to the house.</p><p>"They just released her so Cassie should be here anytime. She has... uh, a broken arm, and...a black eye... and a mild concussion." Sandra recounted before hollering for Henry to come downstairs.</p><p>Fast footsteps echoed off the walls as Henry raced down the stairs with a loud toy gun in his hand, firing blaster noises.</p><p>"Dad!"</p><p>He crashed into Charlie, hugging his waist, small eyes peering over at you.</p><p>"Hi." he was reluctant, knowing you looked familiar but a little unsure.</p><p>Charlie stooped down to his level. "You remember our special visitor from Christmas?"</p><p>"Star Wars bandaids?!"</p><p>You all chuckled at his excitement. "Well, yes, but she has a name, honey..." Charlie reminded him.</p><p>Henry smiled and walked over to greet you with a hug, repeating your name as he did so.</p><p>"Hey, Henry. Good to see you again."</p><p>"You wanna come see my Lego collection?" he asked with prideful eyes.</p><p>"Of course I do!" you replied, noticing how elated Charlie seemed from the corner of your gaze.</p><p>Henry grabbed your hand and led you upstairs while you limped behind him, heading to his room filled with toys, games, and artwork.</p><p> </p><p>"Oh, Charlie-bird... she's lovely," Sandra whispered to him, clasping her hands close to her chest. </p><p>Charlie watched you climb the stairs with Henry, hearing Sandra's words and fully agreeing. He smirked, remembering how dirty you could be for him in bed, yet so completely innocent at the right times. You were perfect for him. His filthy little switch.</p><p>Several minutes later, you heard the sounds of Nicole and her sister Cassie coming through the front door as you and Henry played upstairs. Henry seemed unbothered while he kept playing and explaining all of his recent Lego projects to you. You half-way listened as your attention was stolen by the inaudible voices from downstairs.</p><p>"Charlie...."</p><p>"...upstairs playing...."</p><p>"... so cute..."</p><p>"Henry! Mommy's home!"</p><p>Henry dropped his Lego pieces and stood up. "C'mon, we can build this later..."</p><p>You followed Henry down the stairs, watching him race over to his mom. Even after a car accident, Nicole was glowing, her short blonde hair complimenting her beautifully round face. A friendly smile grew on her face when she saw you and it made you feel totally welcomed.</p><p>"Hey... nice to meet you, I'm Nicole," she shook your hand. "Sorry, don't look at me, I'm a mess." She combed through the scruff of her unwashed hair with dainty fingers. Other than her broken arm in a sling and the noticeable bruise under her eye, she looked better than most people do on good days.</p><p>"Oh, please! You look great. We're just glad you're okay," you replied, watching her smile and nod at you with grace.</p><p>"I'm definitely feeling dizzy and a little nauseous. Where's Charlie?" She quickly asked. You hadn't even noticed he wasn't in the same room. You followed her to the kitchen where Charlie was hovering over the half-eaten rotisserie chicken.</p><p>Nicole and Charlie exchanged a quick hug, his eyes never leaving yours while he signaled you over. He cut off a piece of chicken and held the fork up to you, feeding you in the most sensual way.</p><p>You could tell Nicole and her mother were watching from across the kitchen and it made your heart flutter.</p><p>"You want some wine, sweetheart?" he asked, taking a sip of his own before walking over to grab another glass from the cabinet. You agreed and he poured a nice helping, passing it to you with a grin.</p><p>"Thank you..." you wanted so badly to call him daddy at that moment but the small bit of modesty you had left in your veins stopped you.</p><p>You heard your name being called by a small voice from the other room. Charlie lifted his brows at you in amusement while taking another bite.</p><p>"Sounds like my bestie needs me, better go..." you playfully leaned over for another bite of food to which Charlie obliged, taking his time while relishing in your eagerness, watching intently as you opened your mouth and took another bite. He gave you a sexy wink as you turned on your heel, following Henry's call for you.</p><p>Charlie watched you leave the kitchen with a wide grin on his face as he finished chewing. He glanced over to Nicole and Sandra who were both staring at him, looking like they were watching a once-in-a-lifetime event unfold in front of them.</p><p>Charlie tilted his head. "What?"</p><p>Nicole shrugged, walking over to him as Sandra looked like she might get teary-eyed.</p><p>"She looks good on you, Charlie," Nicole stated plainly, passing a napkin to him and noting that he had spilled a drop of wine on his shirt. "You're happy. I haven't seen it in so long, I almost forgot what it looks like." She gave him a kind smile and sighed.</p><p>Charlie blotted the wine from his shirt while Nicole rubbed her forehead and groaned from discomfort.</p><p>"Man, my head is pounding. Mom, can you get my pain meds from Cassie?"</p><p>Charlie dropped his fork and helped Nicole to the living room onto the couch.</p><p>"Where are you guys staying?" she asked, shuffling the throw pillows to get comfortable.</p><p>"Few miles down the road, at the Hilton. Just let me know what you need," he said, helping to lift her legs up so she could lay down.</p><p>"Just keep Henry busy. You know how mom gets when he becomes too much for her to handle."</p><p>Charlie nodded.</p><p>"He seems to really like her," she said, referring to Henry's adoration towards you. She closed her eyes to rest. "I'm happy for you, Charlie."</p><p>He covered her up with a blanket.</p><p>"Thank you."</p><p> </p><p>Over the next several hours, Charlie took you and Henry all across town. You stopped for ice cream, went to an arcade, and ended the evening at the beach as the sun fell below the horizon. You and Charlie sat down in the sand, letting Henry run up and down the shoreline with the ankle of his pants rolled up and shoes off. He was chasing after the seagulls and laughing wildly while splashing his feet in the cool rush of tides. It was impossible to not laugh along with him.</p><p>Charlie moved to pull you in between his long legs, encasing his arms around you as you leaned back into his chest. You could feel his calm breath and heart beating against your spine. You took in a thick inhale of the ocean air, hearing waves crashing against the earth while you grounded yourself into the moment. His face dipped down towards your shoulder, tracing his lips against the fabric of your shirt and placing a kiss on the bit of skin that was showing.</p><p>Everything you ever needed was wrapped around you.</p><p>You both lingered like that in silent tranquillity until the rosy sky above you turned dark blue, watching the moon become the only light source left in the world. The buzzing of earthly sounds around you began to soften as you watched Henry run back to you both.</p><p>"Did you see that?! They were chasing me! I almost caught one," Henry was breathless, pushing his sweaty hair away from his forehead.</p><p>"I did! What would you have done if you caught one?" you asked in genuine curiosity.</p><p>Henry's face lit up. "I'd keep him for a little bit but I'm sure he'd miss his family so I'd let him go."</p><p>Charlie stood up first, then helped you to your feet, brushing sand away from his pants.</p><p>You dropped Henry back at his grandma's house, planning to stay long enough to get him ready for bed but Sandra insisted that she could handle it, telling you both to go get some rest. Charlie thanked her and promised to be back in the early morning to take him to school.</p><p>Back at the hotel, you laid in bed together, Charlie writing on his laptop while you scrolled through your phone. Auditions were opening in the next few days for a play you had your eye on so you asked Charlie if he knew anything about it. He assured you it would be a good choice.</p><p>You made a double-take at him, noticing for the first time that he had reading glasses on. You reached over and playfully slipped them off the bridge of his nose, putting them on to see just how blind he was.</p><p>"I didn't know you wore glasses..."</p><p>He smirked. "I don't like them. But sometimes I need them."</p><p>"Hm," you squinted through the lens then placed them back on his face as he moved his head to help, eyes never leaving the screen of his laptop as he typed. "You look sexy in them. Very studious."</p><p>He shook his head in silent disagreement.</p><p>"I look older in them." he disputed.</p><p>You grinned, raking your fingers through his hair, pausing to examine his locks.</p><p>"Yeah, you know what... I think you're starting to turn gray." you teased.</p><p>He snapped his laptop shut, a throaty growl escaping his chest as he rolled over on top of you, pinning you down to the bed while you giggled uncontrollably. The weight of him made you squirm without any give.</p><p>You peered up, grabbing the sides of his glasses and pulling them off again, revealing his beautiful distinctive face without barriers. You both silently gazed at each other. His thumb stroked your cheek, taking in all your features. </p><p>"I love you.."</p><p>"I love you.."</p><p>You spoke in harmony with one another.</p><p>Charlie's eyes glossed over, not at all expecting you to say anything. He was bursting with love but didn't believe you had reason to love him back. At least not yet. He thought you'd need more time.</p><p>But you said it.</p><p>On your own.</p><p>And he felt so grateful.</p><p>"I haven't earned that from you yet," he swallowed. "After everything, I know you're just being generous. I know you deserve-"</p><p>You grasped the sides of his face to stop him. "I deserve what I want. And I want you," you watched tears pool in his eyes, face flushing with emotion. He couldn't believe someone would love him so easily, his damaged ego never allowing him accept such affection.</p><p>"You deserve to be loved, Charlie. Beyond sensual touches and bedroom nicknames. Without restrictions, without rules..."</p><p>"Say it again..." he begged, tears trailing down his cheeks. "...please."</p><p>Your own tears started to take form seeing him breakdown.</p><p>"I love you, Charlie."</p><p>His face swelled even more, emotions heightening. You were getting through to him. His old wounds were finally healing, deep cuts mending themselves, becoming stronger with every bit of validation you offered.</p><p>"You deserve love. And I love you... all of you..."</p><p>His lips crashed onto yours, wet tears pressed into your skin, chin trembling as he accepted your outpouring of affection.</p><p>He pulled away, shuddered breath creeping between his lips.</p><p>"... I'm so in love with you. I should have said it sooner and more often." He admitted, voice wavering, before his lips found yours again, his hands roaming from your face and down your body, clutching his favorite parts of you.</p><p>Everything in the world seemed to stop in time as you both dropped what was left of your inner defenses and surrendered to the beauty of what you had feared for so long.</p><p>You discovered unconditional love in the darkest of places, peeling back the scarred layers of flawed pride, self-hate, and trauma.</p><p>You found yourselves again. And you loved. You loved yourselves and each other.</p><p>Without any words spoken, you gently undressed one another while trading sweet, soft kisses in between.</p><p>Fully unclothed, he laid upon you, heated weight, chest pounding with lustful need, peering down with intention in his eyes. You sensed his hand trembling as he guided his considerable length near your core. With a slight shudder to his breath, he grew nervous as if it was the first time he'd ever made love to anyone.</p><p>You brushed the dark strands of hair away from his eyes, resting your hand there while caressing across the traces of tears that blessed his skin.</p><p>Shallow breath exchanged from mutually parted lips, he rubbed himself along your entrance. Hazel eyes burning into you, his hips pushed forward in one smooth motion as you clamped around his hardness, winding your legs around him like an anchor.</p><p>Fuck.</p><p>It had been so long. So fucking long.</p><p>He stayed still, buried into you, taking and feeling all of you.</p><p>Tears left the corner of your lids when you squeezed them shut. Soft, plush lips kissed them away, his mouth moving near your earlobe, warm breath tickling your skin.</p><p>"You're so beautiful..."</p><p>His mumbled words made your heart surged in your chest, feeling so full of devotion and acceptance unlike ever before. This sentiment, overwhelming and abundant, consumed so much of your insides, you thought you might actually die from it.  Die from happiness.</p><p>Uncovering your sight, you met his gaze again while he pulled back then into you repeatedly, skin to skin growing more familiar, more satisfying with each roll of his hips into yours.</p><p>Hands finding his back, you dug the pads of your fingertips into his exposed flesh, tensed muscles flexing with the movement of his body on top of you. You tried to remember every piece of this moment because you loved it so much. Every hungry moan, every sensuous touch...</p><p>"I love this... I love you."</p><p>Your confession found him, earning you another throttled moan into your nape, feeling every snap into you with a yearning passion. Famished bodies getting fed with each gratifying heave forward.</p><p>He moved with you, sensing every subconscious cue, as you became one with him.</p><p>Heat and sweat building and adorning your skin, his face straining, lips tightening against his teeth while you clenched your silky walls around his swollen cock deep inside.</p><p>"I fucking love you...fuck..." Charlie hissed against your grip on his sex. "You feel amazing. God...I missed this."</p><p>He lifted himself up onto his hands so he could admire how well you took his hard, thick length moving in and out of you with such enticing strides.</p><p>You saw how his flesh shifted from pale to a flushed red, pumping into you faster with every passing second, trying to hold onto the seductive intensity but wanting, needing, to cum. To fill you up, no matter how careless, no matter how reckless...</p><p>Something in the universe was telling you he didn't have the strength to pull out when the time would arrive. He was too drunk on you, it was obvious.</p><p>Pushing up on him, you directed him to his side and you both rolled in unison with you settling on top. Reaching down, you pulled his cock back up, lowering yourself, feeling new tightness and moaning into the empty air.</p><p>You rocked back and forth with his hands squeezing your hips, head tilted back and lids closed to converge all his attention on how your pussy felt grinding into him. No, he needed to see it. Returning his awareness to you with his head angled, eyes focused on your sex, watching your hips pushing and pulling, your own hands clasping your breasts.</p><p>You were exceptional.</p><p>"Cum for me, princess."</p><p>His hands drove your hips, urging you to move faster. You leaned over him while his palms found your ass, bending at his knees, and thrusting up into you with a greater force. The immediate shift from you fucking him to him fucking you was exquisite.</p><p>The brawn in his chest grew, muscles becoming even more defined and it sent excitement to your core, seeing such a beautifully made man underneath you, so fucking enthralled with wanting to make you cum hard.</p><p>A husky growl escaped him. "Come on, baby.... cum on my cock."</p><p>He needed you to cum so he could release the building pressure in his own sex.</p><p>Your lovemaking had turned animalistic as you thrashed against each other, carnal sounds filling the room, eager moans, and groans coming from both of you. </p><p>You sunk your teeth into his meaty shoulder, ready to explode.</p><p>Your mind went white, pussy fastening around him, body stiffening as your orgasm ripped through you. </p><p>Shivering, quivering, quaking tides ...billowed through your veins right as you felt the warmth of him spilling inside you.</p><p>Grunting, growling, minds blank...gripping onto one another as you fully unleashed and came together. Bodies shuttering at the core, an extreme sense of satisfaction.</p><p>Breathless, heated skin, sweat, coming down... Logic. </p><p>Logic slowly crept back into your mind a moment too late.</p><p>"I'm sorry..." he exhaled as if he could read your mind that was about to spiral. You stayed seated on his cock, still feeling him throb inside, face buried into his neck while you tried to catch your breath and senses.</p><p>You stopped your overactive conscious from ruining the most beautiful moment you've ever experienced.</p><p>That's what the morning-after pill is for...</p><p>You lifted your hips and drove back down, fucking him slowly, gradually, letting his rich seed fall down his length, becoming a natural lubricant while you relished in the aftershocks.</p><p>You didn't want to think. You just wanted to feel.</p><p>He exhaled in delight, loving how you took advantage. Hell, it made him even harder, feeling you fuck him for the mere desire of not wanting to stop just yet.</p><p>You made love a second time. Then a third. Bodies buzzing with passion, thirsty for each other, overindulging in each temptation with no regrets.</p><p>It was magic, and you never wanted to let it go.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Morning came quickly, only having cat-naps throughout the night. Charlie insisted you stay in bed and order room service while he headed out to take Henry to school. You laid naked in bed, white sheets twisted around your frame as you stretched your tired and overworked muscles.</p><p>You sat up to read the room service menu and mentally picked out a few things, trying to find some things that Charlie might like, too. You placed a generous order and got up to take a shower. While washing your body you noticed some faint bruises left on your skin from last night, and for once it wasn't because Charlie marked you on purpose.</p><p>It was evidence of him needing you so badly that he held onto you, squeezing so tightly that it left a trace of his insatiable lust behind.</p><p>Drying yourself off and putting on some clean clothes, you waited for your breakfast, massaging your sore ankle that was starting to feel better with each new day. You hadn't checked your phone since last night but once you did you realized there were several missed calls, all from Isabel.</p><p>Rolling your eyes with a  groan, you wondered if you could just call her to end your employment. That would certainly be easier than having a face-to-face conversation with the woman.</p><p>After your room service arrived, you poured yourself some coffee from the carafe and called her.</p><p>She picked up after two rings.</p><p>"Where the fuck are you?"</p><p>You scoffed at her indecent overreaction. "Hello to you, too. Yeah, I'm not feeling well."</p><p>"Bullshit."</p><p>With a silent shrug, you leaned back into your chair and sipped your coffee.</p><p>"Wherever you are, you have one hour to get here."</p><p>It was nearly comical to you how upset she was. Here we go with her empty threats again.</p><p>"Actually, no." you scorned. </p><p>Isabel paused at your insubordination.</p><p>"I don't want to. In fact, I don't ever want to come back. So you can take your little contract and void the fuck out of it."</p><p>A wicked laugh grew over the phone line and it sent sharpness up your spine.</p><p>"Stupid girl. You're with him, aren't you."</p><p>It wasn't even a question, she already knew. You said nothing of admission, hearing her sigh deeply into the phone.</p><p>"Okay. If you want to dissolve our partnership prematurely, that's up to you..." she replied, followed by sounds of her flicking a lighter and inhaling, exhaling.</p><p>"...but I would warn, if you do, your little acting career will be over. And Charlie's secret side project he's pouring all his time and effort into, will never see the light of day."</p><p>You pinched your brow, confused about how she conceived that much power. You knew Charlie had been working hard on his screenplay and you weren't sure how she knew about it, but it angered you that she would try to hold it hostage unless you did what she wanted.</p><p>"You're bluffing. You can't stop anything from-"</p><p>"Darling. Who do you think comes into my club? I hold every powerful man in this city by the balls. If I solicit something of them, it's done. No questions asked. It's how I run business."</p><p>You considered her for a moment but rebutted.</p><p>"Well, you might own New York, but there are other places I could-"</p><p>"You can't afford to leave anyway. Read your contract, sweetheart. Read it carefully, like you should have before you signed it. If you still want to move forward with the void, I'll be happy to process it once you satisfy the penalty."</p><p>"Penalty??"</p><p>The sound of smirking made your blood seethe. She was so condescending, a fucking devil if there was one.</p><p>"Call me once you're done playing house."</p><p>The line went dead and your heart dropped to your stomach.</p><p>What penalty?</p><p>You rushed to look up your emails, searching for a copy of the final draft that was signed. Finding it, you studied it with keen eyes, scanning every line, every word until... there...</p><p>"Are you fucking kidding me..." you whispered to yourself, heart pounding, lodging in your throat, a ringing in your ears deafening everything around you.</p><p>You moved your gaze to the floor, letting the new realization fully absorb.</p><p>A $500,000 fine? How the fuck could you ever pay that?? And why did she want your name for her transactions? None of this was in the initial draft you reviewed. </p><p>At that instant, you realized she did have all the power. She held you and NYC by the balls. Your head began spinning and you felt dizzy, a veil of sweat and heat rushed over.</p><p>Even if you magically found half a million dollars to legally cancel your contract, she could still keep you from attaining work in the entertainment field. Not only would you be in extreme debt, but you'd be struggling to find the work you loved.</p><p>And then there's Charlie.</p><p>He has a son to help support. If she stood in the way of his project or landing any director gigs in the city, he'd be in the same boat as you... but worse. He'd probably have to move here to LA, working outside of the theater scene that he was so passionate about, just so he could still provide care for his son.</p><p>There would have to be sacrifices made left and right. Lives turned upside down, future plans derailed all to accommodate one huge mistake you made while you were blinded by heartbreak.</p><p>Why did you have to trust her? Why was she trying to sabotage you? </p><p>Isabel was a selfish, evil woman and she deceived you into thinking she was your savior in your time of need. She took advantage of you during your weakest moment.</p><p>Rage started building your chest, breath becoming heavy, anger taking over every cell in your chemistry. You felt you would lose it all again, and so quickly after you just got it back. </p><p>How could she do this to you? Why did she want to destroy all that was blissfully good in your life?</p><p>Your red eyes darted to the door when Charlie entered the room. His expression fell flat when he saw yours.</p><p>"What is it?"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0028"><h2>28. Casting</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Charlie quietly sat on the edge of the bed listening while you vented your anger and frustrations, talking as fast as the thoughts entered your mind while flailing your arms as you described your side of the story and confessed your most recent discovery.</p><p>He had pulled up your contract on his laptop so he could read it in its entirety himself.</p><p>"She slipped two very important and very binding pieces in at the last minute! She fucking tricked me! She knew I would see you right before I signed... she fucking planned it, so I wouldn't in the right mind and she could take advantage..."</p><p>You stopped pacing long enough to take a deep breath and crossed your arms. "I'm fucked. I'm totally fucked and it's my fault."</p><p>With his laptop resting on his thighs, he peered up at you.</p><p>"It's not completely your fault. There are several things at play here," he stated calmly.</p><p>You were surprised at how well he was taking the news and your outrage over it. "The first thing we need to understand is why does she want your name on her transactions because that concerns me the most," he said, speaking with his hands. His ability with bringing clarity and order to the situation brought your tension back down.</p><p>You took a seat next to him on the bed, glancing back over the contract with him.</p><p>"We can figure the money part out. She can't get away with that... I think we can get some kind of legal representation to help us," He rubbed his chin in contemplation. "I know James is dealing illegal drugs. Maybe Isabel and James are involved with money laundering, and they want to use your name as a safety net or a cover-up."</p><p>You pinched your brow, coming to realize that he could be right and you could be in actual danger.</p><p>"Well, how we are supposed to prove any of this? Do we call the cops?" you asked with a shrug.</p><p>Charlie chewed on his cheek, scanning his eyes over the contract once more and considering all options.</p><p>His demeanor changed vaguely as if something else came to mind.</p><p>"It doesn't say anywhere in here about exclusions to your performances. Does that mean what I think it means?" his softened eyes moved from the screen to you.</p><p>You felt immediately judged, knowing that you hadn't placed any restrictions in your contract. At the time, you were willing to do anything because you didn't have a real reason not to.</p><p>"... I was in a different frame of mind then just like you were when you signed yours..."</p><p>He interrupted you.</p><p>"Yes, but I have morals, that's why I placed exclusions."</p><p>You were taken aback by his shift in tone.</p><p>"Whoa. I have morals, too..."</p><p>"Apparently not!"  he lifted up from the bed in haste. "You were okay with just fucking whoever was on the schedule that night?!"</p><p>You rose up in defiance, completely ready to shame him back.</p><p>"Excuse me, how is fucking someone with your hands soooo different than fucking them with your cock?!" you ridiculed.</p><p>"You should know it's different, I shouldn't have to explain that to you!" he shouted back.</p><p>"Charlie, you were fucking plenty of random women from the bars before I met you. Hell! You fucked one after I met you... after we had sex for the first time!"</p><p>Charlie shook his head and turned away from you in a cloud of fury.</p><p>"How is that any different... really?? Other than an audience not being around??" you continued.</p><p>He turned around quickly with his finger pointed into his chest. "It's different because that was my choice! I wasn't a fucking prostitute on someone's schedule!" he scolded.</p><p>Your face flushed with resentment.</p><p>"Is that what you think? I'm a prostitute? What.. ? - and you're  some sort of saint compared to me?!"</p><p>Charlie fumed in silence, huffing wildly with rage.</p><p>You were waiting for another reply or quite frankly an apology but he offered nothing in return.</p><p>Figures. Fucking men.</p><p>"I'm so out of here," you scoffed, walking over to repack your suitcase.</p><p>"No... no... you aren't leaving. We need to figure this out," he insisted with a quieter tone as he following you.</p><p>You weren't used to fighting like this with Charlie.  In fact, this was the first time you'd ever gone head to head over something. You remembered arguments with Ben always ended with him leaving in a tantrum, slamming the door as he left to go blow off steam at what you assumed at the time was the bar but now knowing it was probably fucking someone else. </p><p>Charlie seemed much more mature about finding resolution even if the words spilling out of his mouth were hypocritical and laced with jealousy.</p><p>You kept packing your bag in silence, ignoring his objection. You felt him approach from behind and seize your wrist to halt your movements.</p><p>"Please, stop," he urged, clutching your wrist. You dropped the garment from your grip.</p><p>"What?! What do you have to say, then? Because I'm not going to sit here and let you call me a whore," you disputed with confidence.</p><p>Charlie exhaled largely, acknowledging that he had crossed a line. He was familiar with crossing such lines and knew how damaging words could be when they were used as ammo.</p><p>"I'm sorry," he managed to admit even though it irritated his competitive nature to apologize. "I'm just upset," he placed his hands on your shoulders turning you to him. "This is what she wants. Isabel wants us to be fighting like this." He insisted calmly, rubbing your shoulders to diffuse the situation.</p><p>Hearing his words, it was as if a lightbulb went off in your head. He was right, this was what Isabel wanted. She wanted to drive a wedge between you and Charlie so she could use you as a puppet. The wheels in your head started turning and Charlie could tell you had something stirring in your mind.</p><p>"What?"</p><p>You smiled to yourself, having devised the initial foundation of a master plan to take Isabel and everything she represents down.</p><p> </p><p>*******************************************</p><p>One week later...</p><p>Isabel was sitting in her office when James came in looking fresh in his well-tailored suit and dirty blonde hair perfectly combed back. He looked like the definition of a gangster.</p><p>"Well, as usual, your suspicions were right," he said, pouring himself a drink. "I saw them together. So they must be working things out."</p><p>James had been keeping a watchful eye on your apartment at Isabel's request, making note of when you returned from - wherever you disappeared to - along with anyone else coming and going from your place.</p><p>Isabel scoffed at the confirmed findings. "Fucking Charlie. I'll be damned if he gets in the way of this." She leaned back in her large executive chair and began rocking.</p><p>James walked over to sit across from her with his drink, unbuttoning his suit jacket as he sat down. "I'm sure it won't take much to break them up again," he insisted taking a sip and recalling the fond memory of how you masturbated in front of him. "She still has that feisty energy in her, we just have to draw it out, piss Charlie off, and boom... she's back to doing what we need."</p><p>Isabel glared across the desk at James. "Don't be so naive, James. She's not one of your dumb sluts," she snapped her fingers at him and pointed to the wet bar as a silent demand for him to pour her a drink. "We need to keep her content long enough for this next round of shipments to finish. My cut of this will surpass all others, and I can't go in without a plan B. I know I have eyes on me."</p><p>James brought Isabel her signature cocktail, a dirty martini, and stood next to her while enjoying his own glass of whiskey. "Fuck, you know what I miss? Parties. We should throw one," he suggested.</p><p>"All you want to do is party, James," she sneered.</p><p>"That's because I'm not an uptight bitch," he spatted back, earning him a swift smack across the face that caused his head to whip to the side. He gave her an impish grin and licked his lips.</p><p>"Again..."</p><p>She smacked his other cheek with more force and he groaned before hissing through his teeth.</p><p>The secretary's voice rang over the phone speaker:</p><p>"Ms. Porter, your 2 PM is here."</p><p>James bit his bottom lip as Isabel leaned down and pressed the button.</p><p>"Send him in," she released the speaker and gave James a crooked grin.</p><p>Charlie entered the office just as James proceeded out, presenting Charlie with a pompous smirk as they passed one another. Charlie internally shuttered at that memory of James's hands on you.</p><p>"Charlie. Good to see you, as always," Isabel greeted him with kind words over an annoyed tone.</p><p>He abstained from taking a seat and instead stood across the desk from Isabel with his hands in his pockets.</p><p>"I'm here to revise my contract."</p><p>Isabel cocked her brow, becoming interested in his unexpected change of mind.</p><p>"Revise in what way, exactly?"</p><p>Charlie's expression was blank of all emotion, appearing to be one hundred percent detached.</p><p>"I want to remove my exclusions. And I want my salary increased for doing so."</p><p>Isabel let out an uncontrolled chuckle.</p><p>"I'm sorry. I'm confused. Why the sudden change of heart?"</p><p>Charlie shrugged. "I don't need a reason."</p><p>Isabel narrowed her eyes at him, looking for truth.</p><p>"Does this have anything to do with her?"</p><p>He scoffed, his gaze moving to the wall as he shook his head. "Not that it's any of your business, but it's a physical relationship and it ends there."</p><p>Isabel tilted her head to the side. "Is that so? James seems to think that perhaps it's more than that."</p><p>"How would James know anything?" he objected.</p><p>She didn't entertain answering him. "We can work up a revision if that's what you want. I honestly thought you were coming here to void your agreement so this is a welcomed surprise. You are the most popular dominant I have on staff even though you don't fuck anyone. But I suppose that's about to change, isn't it?"</p><p>Charlie sighed heavily through his nose, moving his hands to his hips. "And I also want it to clarify in writing that I fuck who I chose to fuck. No one will decide for me," he looked at Isabel and she gave him a small pout. "Just let me know once the final draft is ready to sign."</p><p>"It's a simple update. Have a seat, I'll have my assistant work on it now," Isabel stood to walk out. "Help yourself to a cocktail or a smoke."</p><p>Charlie turned, watching Isabel leave. He did a quick visual scan of the office, looking for any sign of a security camera along the corners and walls of the room. Once he felt confident he pulled out the small recording device and sat down, attempting to install it securely under his chair but out of pure clumsiness, he dropped it.</p><p>"Shit..." he whispered in haste, struggling to reach for it on the floor before trying again with a trembling hand, striving to focus but also keeping an eye on the door.</p><p>Once he attached it, he promptly reached in his other pocket for a cigarette to light, leaving no one the wiser while he appeared to be casually smoking once Isabel returned.</p><p>When the document was ready for his review, Charlie took his time reading every line to ensure nothing seemed out of place.</p><p>"I find it amusing that you don't trust me at all, yet you choose to work for me," she said, commenting on his thoroughness that she believed was overly excessive.</p><p>"Can't be too careful around here," Charlie murmured, eyes focused on the page in front of him.</p><p>Isabel smirked, "It's a shame, I remember when we were friends. It wasn't that long ago we fucked right here," she said, sliding her hands over her large mahogany desk, recalling the day Charlie initially signed his contract and the celebratory fuck that followed.</p><p>"There's a grammatical error.... right here," Charlie scrutinized, ignoring her and marking the mistake with his pen.</p><p>Isabel reached over and took the contract, rolling her eyes at the validity. "The signee agrees to perform twice per week with teh subject of his choice." Isabel eyed Charlie. "The word 'the' is what you're concerned about?"</p><p>"Yes, it's an error and I'd like it corrected."</p><p>She gave Charlie an irritated smile as she buzzed her assistant to communicate the request.</p><p>A few moments later Charlie was presented with a freshly edited draft. He continued taking his time examining each part closely while Isabel sat in her chair and watched him with dark eyes.</p><p>"Hm. Okay. I think it looks good," Charlie reached for the pen out of his shirt pocket to sign.</p><p>The secretary buzzed in again:</p><p>"Ms. Porter, your 2:30 PM is here."</p><p>Isabel gave Charlie a wicked grin while pushing the button:</p><p>"Send her in."</p><p>Charlie wrinkled his brow at Isabel and turned, looking surprised to see you.</p><p>"Charlie? What are you doing here?" you asked with a perplexed expression.</p><p>He stood up, the ink barely dried on his new agreement as he quickly placed the pen down on the desk.</p><p>Isabel stood to join you both.</p><p>"Charlie has come to make a few updates to his contract. It seems he's decided to remove his exclusions," Isabel's voice rang proudly while she smiled at him. "It's an excellent choice."</p><p>You glared at him. "What? Charlie... I thought we talked about that..."</p><p>"No, you talked. I listened. And then I made a decision based on what was best for me."</p><p>You took a few menacing steps towards him. "You're doing this out of spite, aren't you?"</p><p>Charlie turned away, dismissing you. "I'm not getting into this here."</p><p>He walked out, leaving you and Isabel alone while you stood in a cloud of betrayal.</p><p>Isabel motioned to the door. "See? What did I tell you?... that's men. Fucking worthless," she walked over to her desk and collected Charlie's contract, placing the pen he left on the desk into her purse. "Have a drink, darling," she suggested, seeing how unsettled you appeared. "It will calm your nerves."</p><p>You spoke business with Isabel afterward, trying not to drift off in an emotional daze. She went on and on about big plans and something about a party that James was going to be putting together.</p><p>"We've done mascarade balls in the past that went over very well with the members. Perhaps you and James can get together and plan the event? That might be a nice distraction for you."</p><p>You silently agreed and once the meeting was finished you walked out of the office, rode the elevator down, and hopped into a taxi cab that took you into Brooklyn.</p><p>The car stopped in front of a theater clubhouse that was known as a rehearsal spot for up-and-coming talent. You stepped out, walked through the threshold, and followed the long hallway into the back green room.</p><p>Opening the door, you were greeted by Charlie, Scarlett, and Jeffrey who were all waiting.</p><p>Closing the door, you took a deep breath, spreading your hands through your hair.</p><p>"It worked," you exhaled.</p><p>Charlie smiled and walked over to you, embracing the sides of your face with his hands.</p><p>"That's because you're an amazing actress," he boasted before giving you a hug. Pulling back quickly he asked, "What did she do with the pen?"</p><p>You snickered, "She put it in her purse of all places."</p><p>He laughed, "Well, that was a lucky move."</p><p>Jeffrey interrupted, "Okay, so, can we go over this plan again? Not to be like, overly dramatic or anything, but since we don't exactly know how much danger is involved, I'd like to go over all my lines several times. Preferably with someone holding a gun to my head so I can really get into character."</p><p>Scarlett nudged Jeffrey. "Don't jinx us! Besides, you'll be fine, you're a real theater actor. I, on the other hand, am not great at remembering a script."</p><p>You both glanced at the two of them then back at each other, smiling at the already successful plan that was underway.</p><p>"You ready to give the performance of your life?" Charlie asked in jest.</p><p>You perched up on your tiptoes to place a soft kiss on his lips.</p><p>"I was born ready."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0029"><h2>29. Sorry, daddy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Over the next week, you planned the Red Room mascarade ball with James, cooly brushing off every sexual advance he made on you in the process. You agreed upon a name for the event, "Night of Mystery", as cheesy as it sounded, you kind of liked it knowing that you had a whole secret plot planned unbeknownst to James and Isabel.</p><p>Thankfully, Isabel gave you the week off from performing so you could focus on the event. Although Charlie continued working his normal shifts, you steered clear of the Red Room and knew he wasn't having sex; yet. The mascarade ball was also going to be Charlie's induction party in a way. Word got around fast that he lifted his restrictions and Isabel wanted to draw as many clients to the event as possible so she requested that Charlie's first performance occur during the ball.</p><p>You walked into Isabel's office with a stack of purchasing receipts for her to approve. The event was tomorrow night and everything was basically ready to go. Her assistant let you know that she stepped out for a last-minute business call but would be right back so you waited patiently for her return.</p><p>You sat in one of the plush chairs, notably the one with the recording device attached underneath, tapping your foot as you glanced over the receipts once more.</p><p>"Hey, kitten."</p><p>You rolled your eyes without even looking, already knowing it was James who had strolled in behind you. "Shall I make you a drink?"</p><p>"No thanks."</p><p>He purred at you in an overly sexual way. "You do realize the more you detest me, the more I find you irresistible, right?"</p><p>You shrugged unimpressed, still keeping your attention on the documents in your lap.</p><p>"Sounds like a 'you' problem."</p><p>He meandered over to Isabel's desk and leaned against it in front of you, taking a sip of his bourbon as he looked down at you ignoring him. He nudged your foot with his own fancy shoe.</p><p>"Whatever happened to that sexy vixen from the dressing room?"</p><p>You peeked up at him, remembering that this conversation was being recorded in the room and not wanting to admit that you did anything like that with him.</p><p>"I don't know what you're talking about. Must have been one of your outrageous fantasies."</p><p>He chuckled at your denial in the most condescending way.</p><p>"You think I could dream up something like that? Fuck, I get hard just thinking about how amazing you looked cumming in front of me," He grabbed at his crotch.</p><p>"You're disgusting," was all you could muster up to say in response.</p><p>"And you're...a bad little kitty..." he began to lean over as if he was going to kiss you and before you knew it your hand had firmly met the side of his face with a loud smack.</p><p>He growled in response and licked his lips.</p><p>"What do you imagine Charlie would think of you being a little slut for me?" he taunted.</p><p>You had to remind yourself to act as if you and Charlie weren't together and you didn't care about him. That was part of your master plan.</p><p>"What I do is none of his business or yours," you replied with confidence.</p><p>He gave you a crooked grin.</p><p>"Then I guess you wouldn't mind if I showed him?" he whispered, only inches away from your face.</p><p>"Showed him what?" you felt your throat began to tighten, realizing that James was one step ahead of you.</p><p>He pulled his phone out, scrolling through it before turning it around and pressing play. You saw and heard yourself moaning along with James stroking himself in the video. The bastard filmed you.</p><p>Your breath picked up and heat flushed your body. "You asshole!" you dove for the phone but he snatched it away with a mischievous smile.</p><p>"Uh-oh, looks like you do care what he thinks after all," he proclaimed, stopping the video and tucking his phone away in the breast of his jacket. "I'm just so glad we live in an era where I can record such brilliant moments from my phone. Watching it has gotten me through some rough nights," he teased, crossing his arms and smirking at you.</p><p>"Fuck you."</p><p>"You know I'm always ready when you are, kitten." he returned, winking at you while he lifted himself from the desk and walked out.</p><p>You contemplated your next move. You knew the recording device under your chair fed all audio to a virtual cloud where it could be accessed by Charlie for review. He typically reviewed the audio every night before bed and so far he had caught some evidence of illegal business operations but not enough to directly connect Isabel to it just yet. She was sly with her phrasing and language whenever she spoke of such dealings. You'd have to find a way to make her crack. To break. To admit to something so you could hold it against her as leverage.</p><p>Given your new relationship approach with Charlie, you didn't want him to hear something like that on an audio clip. Although you did tell him the truth in that James had only touched you that one night when Charlie was there, you knew it would piss him off to know you and James did anything scandalous together beyond that.</p><p>Later that evening, you and Charlie made plans to go out for dinner so you were anticipating telling him that night before he reviewed the audio clips. </p><p>You stood in your bathroom, wearing a little black dress, leaning against the vanity while making that dumb, open-jawed face to apply mascara evenly without jabbing your eye out. Charlie sat on the edge of the bathtub behind you, studying your every move as if he was going to be tested on makeup application and correct technique.</p><p>"What's the difference between a blush and a...bronzer?" he asked, peeking over you at the cosmetics sprawled out on the counter. He stood up and grabbed the bronzer to look at it closely, then the blush to compare.</p><p>"They each have their own purpose," you explained, taking the blush from him. "Sometimes I only use one, sometimes I use both for more color and dimension. They both make me look like I've been resting on the beach, but in different ways."</p><p>Charlie smirked, placing the bronzer back on the counter and snaking his hands around your waist as he stepped behind you. He was so tall he could peer over your head as you continued working on yourself. </p><p>He placed a kiss on the crown of your head, resting his lips there for a moment to inhale the scent of your hair. It made you feel precious.</p><p>"Maybe someday soon we can rest on the beach together," he murmured against the top of your head, nose buried in your locks, eyes peeping up to gaze at you through the mirror.</p><p>You so badly didn't want to have the conversation about James and ruin the evening but you knew it had to be done. It was the right way for him to know.</p><p>"Hey daddy..." you started, popping the lipstick top off the tube while no longer having the strength to meet his eye through the mirror, heart beginning to race.</p><p>"Yes, princess..." his baritone voice sent chills down your spine.</p><p>Nope. Not strong enough yet.</p><p>"Could you pour me a glass of wine?" you softly asked, gazing up at him with a cute smile.</p><p>"Of course, sweetheart," he kissed your crown again before stepping away. "Red?"</p><p>"Yes, please."</p><p>Fuuuuuck. Why does he have to be so sexy and sweet?!</p><p>Okay, after dinner you'd tell him. You would for sure tell him. After dinner but before he went home and reviewed the clips. Yep. That's the new plan.</p><p>Once ready, you both headed out and arrived at the new jazz club that opened up in Williamsburg. It was a safe spot and as long as you stayed out of Manhattan, you wouldn't run into Isabel or James.</p><p>You cuddled up in a small corner booth as the waitress presented you with drink and dinner menus. Smooth jazz played from the pianist which made the already dimly lit atmosphere even cozier.</p><p>Charlie put his arm around you while gazing at your menu instead of opening his own.</p><p>"You know what you're getting?" you asked, scanning the menu.</p><p>"The chicken," he claimed, "I'm a simple man."</p><p>You chuckled because it was true. Although he loved to cook, you did notice that he enjoyed the staples on rotation: pizza, chicken, and cheeseburgers. Perhaps a steak if he was feeling lavish.</p><p>After placing your orders, you leaned into each other and enjoyed the music, people watching, and just the simplicity of being on a date with each other. You tried to remember the last time you even had a real date and it finally hit you... it was your birthday, months ago, before the breakup.</p><p>You sunk into him, resting your head on his chest with his arm hugging you close. Your hand caressed his thigh while you paid more attention to his steady breath than the jazz player. Charlie's physiology was just as captivating to you as any beautiful song.</p><p>Your mind began questioning when the best time would be to tell him about James.</p><p>The meals arrived quickly and you both adjusted yourself to indulge. In typical Charlie fashion, there he was, shoveling food into his face like a rabid animal. You couldn't help but snicker at his sloppiness, becoming lost in his own world as he sometimes does when he's super focused on any task. He was a grown-up by all accounts but carried a child-like heart in his soul. You recognized that was why fatherhood came so naturally to him. But also why he had built walls up to protect it.</p><p>When he did allow love in, he loved hard, and he loved deeply.</p><p>But he had his faults, too, just like everyone. He could be possessive, selfish in his decisions, and quick to pass judgment.</p><p>Faults, only if you consider them as such. You found these behaviors to be growth challenges that allowed you to push back on him and call him out. Which he seemed to appreciate.</p><p>Your journey to get here and love one another openly wasn't always easy, and you had certainly gone through many ups and downs together, but it was real. It was raw. And it was beautifully yours.</p><p>Charlie took his last bite and wiped his mouth with the cloth napkin from his lap. He looked up and saw a few older couples slow dancing to the piano ballad and he scooted out of the booth, displaying his hand out to you.</p><p>You glanced up over your plate, mouth still full from your most recent bite.</p><p>"Come..."</p><p>Grinning while chewing, then finally swallowing you said, "Are we dancing??"</p><p>His non-verbal grin back at you gave you extreme butterflies.</p><p>Quickly, you wiped your own mouth and leaped up from the booth, taking his hand as you did.</p><p>You were practically frolicking behind him as he led you through the tables and chairs to the dance floor. You caught a glimpse of some patrons smiling at you both as he brought you to the center of the floor and turned around, pulling you in close by the waist and guiding you to sway along with his tall stature.</p><p>"I didn't know you danced..." you replied, stretching your neck back to gaze up at him.</p><p>"I don't actually," he smirked back, before looking down and meeting your eye. "But I do with you."</p><p>His confession melted your heart. You laid your head against his chest and let him lead the way as you both moved in perfect unison to the music.</p><p>"Are you ready for tomorrow night?" his deep voice vibrated through his chest and you lifted your head to answer.</p><p>"Yes. I'm ready. Are you ready?"</p><p>He pursed his lips together and nodded. It was an elaborate scheme that involved several pieces to fall into place in order for it to work. If it didn't work, odds were set against you in that Isabel would have the upper hand and could potentially frame you for all of her illegal dealings. From the looks of it, she was planning to do that anyway. </p><p>But if it worked...</p><p>You intended to blackmail her and take over ownership of the club, revamping the purpose into something more meaningful for people. A safely coordinated role-play experience, where theater and sex could live in harmony.</p><p>Clients could pick a themed experience from a schedule and become someone else for the evening to escape their reality. BDSM education would still be available but it wouldn't be the entire purpose of the club.</p><p>Clients could find the same sense of belonging and control from just acting out a different role; becoming someone else for the night and learning to articulate their needs and desires through scripted words. Or they could simply sit back enjoy the theatrics of watching from the sidelines.</p><p>It would be art, designed by fantasy.</p><p>You dreamed of adding a wellness spa and creating a fulfilling "retreat to a new world" experience, where people could free themselves of stress, responsibilities, and create their own paradise.</p><p>You and Charlie would provide acting education, write and perform plays filled with a storyline, drama, relationships, and of course... sex.</p><p>Real acting and real sex - together on stage.</p><p>It was a risk. But knowing how Isabel assumes she "owns" the town, "owns" her clients and now "owns" you made your blood boil. Her intentions blossomed from wanting to create a safe BDSM space to full-blown greed. She didn't care about her clients or staff anymore, she just wanted more control, more money, and endless power.</p><p>There was still plenty of value in the Red Room, and you saw its true potential for helping people who needed a safe place to escape. It's what you and Charlie both used it for.</p><p>You just had to get rid of the poison in charge of it.</p><p>Charlie's phone buzzed from his pocket and he halted the swaying so he could check it.</p><p>He cocked his brow, "It's a text from James," he said with surmise while opening it. "Looks like a video..." he squinted at the thumbnail, most definitely recognizing your figure.</p><p>Out of pure blind reaction, you snatched the phone from him and held it tightly pressed between both hands as if you were praying for mercy on your sins before you even confessed them.</p><p>He gave you a scowled look.</p><p>"What's going on?"</p><p>"We need to talk..." you started, glancing around quickly then back at him. "Let's go back to the table," you suggested, hoping to gain more privacy.</p><p>He quietly followed you with a look of disappointment already painted on his face.</p><p>Once you were both seated, you took a deep breath and tried to explain your actions in the most innocent way possible.</p><p>"So, remember when you broke things off and we didn't see each other for like a month?"</p><p>Charlie planted his elbow on the table with a sigh and covered his mouth, nodding and preparing for the bad news.</p><p>"Okay. Well, as you know, I was upset. And James saw me at a bar, drinking alone," you swallowed as you recounted the details, trying not to overshare but also striving to be honest. "He persuaded me to go to the club that evening and see things through a new lens, or whatever."</p><p>Charlie nodded again in silence, eyes pulled down to the floor.</p><p>"Okay, so he took me shopping beforehand for an outfit and he sort of, intruded in on me while I was in the dressing room."</p><p>Charlie swallowed and waited for more.</p><p>"I- uh... I didn't do anything with him, technically. I just uhm... I may have touched myself, and he may have been watching... and apparently filming..." you trailed off.</p><p>"So you jerked off together?" he asked pointedly, voice muffled by his hand. You noticed his leg was bouncing wildly from his temper rising.</p><p>"...yes."</p><p>He nodded in silence again knowing he really didn't have the right to be angry since he had broken your heart. It's not like you cheated on him. But for fucks sake, he hated James. Why did it have to be James??</p><p>"Anything else you need to tell me?" he responded in haste.</p><p>Your heart fell.</p><p>"No."</p><p>He reached for his wallet and pulled out more cash than necessary to cover the bill. Scooting back out from the booth, he placed his wallet back in his pocket.</p><p>"Okay then..." he said briefly. "See you tomorrow."</p><p>What the actual fuck. </p><p>Charlie just ditched you at the tail end of your date night all because of some dumb shit you did while you were broken up? What did this mean? Was he done with you?</p><p>Scoffing, you got up from the booth yourself and rushed out of the restaurant. Looking both ways down the street, you saw him walking instead of hailing a cab.</p><p>"Charlie!" you yelled but he didn't bother stopping or turning around. "Hey.. wait!" you shouted again, trying to catch up to him.</p><p>"Will you please stop so we can talk?!"</p><p>He came to an abrupt halt and you noticed he was smoking a cigarette.</p><p>"Look, I'm sorry I did that. It was stupid," you pleaded. "I don't even like the guy, he's a jackass."</p><p>Charlie narrowed his eyes at you while he took a long drag. You gathered he wasn't believing a word of your apology.</p><p>"Please. I don't want to fight about this, it's so-" you continued but he interrupted.</p><p>"I want you to go home and put on that black lace dress I bought you."</p><p>You were taken aback.</p><p>"Oh, okay..." you tilted your head. "Should I put on lingerie underneath?"</p><p>"No."</p><p>His tone was dark and demanding.</p><p>"Just the dress. Then wait."</p><p>He pushed past you and hailed a taxi right away, jumping into it and leaving before you could even process what the hell was going on.</p><p>After summoning your own cab and getting back to your apartment, you did as he requested and slipped out of your date night dress and into the black lace one. The last and only time you've ever worn it beyond now was when he tried to parade you around the club as his property.</p><p>We all know how that ended.</p><p>You waited in the kitchen, sampling on the bitter wine leftover from earlier. Scanning through your phone to pass the time, you hoped Charlie didn't actually watch the video that James sent. You wondered if he had the strength to just delete.</p><p>An hour passed and you began to question if he was just playing games with you.</p><p>A knock on your door finally sounded and you sprung up from the couch, smoothing out your dress before opening the door.</p><p>Charlie stood in the entryway, adorned in his black-on-black suit, the very one he wore the same night as the dress, the collar, the fight...</p><p>It hit you quickly that Charlie wanted a redo of that night.</p><p>Without a word and the same scowl on his face from earlier, he invited himself in and strolled into the kitchen.</p><p>"Please come in..." you taunted in response while closing the door.</p><p>You noticed he was carrying a small shopping bag.</p><p>"What's in the ba-"</p><p>He held his hand up to stop you, taking his time to approach you until he was mere inches away. His intoxicating scent enveloped your aura and made you weak. It was as if he left the restaurant and showed up at your doorstep as someone else. An old foe; the dark Charlie.</p><p>Heated breath left his flared nostrils as he glared down at you.</p><p>"Kneel."</p><p>It had been so long since you saw this side of him. Excitement caused your knees to tremble as you lowered yourself to the hardwood floor while stuttered breaths left your lungs.</p><p>He seemed to admire you on your knees in front of him for a small moment before stepping away and prowling across the apartment, yards away from you and into the living room. He removed his jacket and rolled up the sleeves of his dark button-up before sitting comfortably directly within your line of vision.</p><p>As he settled into the chair, a dim reading light illuminated him from above, casting shadows on his face which only made him appear even more sinister.</p><p>"Crawl to me."</p><p>You slowly leaned forward, pressing your palms onto the floor, a twinge of pain already piercing through your knee caps. He watched you with intention while you moved across the floor of your own apartment, crawling your way towards him. You found it increasingly difficult to keep your gaze on him as you moved, foot by foot until you reached the shiny black shoes he was wearing.</p><p>He reached into the pocket of his jacket and pulled out your collar.</p><p>Queen Bitch.</p><p>You knew exactly which side would be on display this time. Leaning back on your heels and straightening your spine, you allowed him to place the leather collar around your neck.</p><p>Once it was secured, he pinched your chin, tilting your vision up to his dark eyes beaming with desire.</p><p>"You know what I want, don't you, sweetheart?"</p><p>It was just above a whisper but at the same time so loud in your head. A good girl apology.</p><p>"Sorry, daddy." you replied, wide-eyed with innocence.</p><p>He pressed his lips together firmly with a hum, deciding if it was adequate enough. Releasing your chin, he leaned back into the chair, spreading out and taking up all the space in front of you with his massive body.</p><p>"Stand up."</p><p>You pushed yourself up from the floor and stood above him waiting patiently for his next cue. Your heart was fluttering uncontrollably and your skin buzzed to be touched, whether kindly or rudely, you craved his hands on you.</p><p>"Bend over my lap so daddy can spank you."</p><p>You bit back your smile as you walked over to the edge of the chair, leaning over the armrest and across his lap, gripping the other armrest for stability. You felt his strong hands grasp the hem of your dress and push the material up and over your hips, exposing your bare ass as a cold chill crept through your body, goosebumps spreading over your skin.</p><p>The warmness of his hand gently caressed the curve of your ass as your vision was fixed on the wall in front of you, waiting for the shock of pain with bated breath.</p><p>"Do you know why I'm doing this?" he asked, waiting to carry out the punishment until you understood.</p><p>"Yes," you whispered.</p><p>His hand continued circling your ass when you felt his fingers navigate to your center and run parallel to your aching folds, teasing you.</p><p>"Say it... tell me why..."</p><p>You moaned slightly against his erotic touch.</p><p>"Mmm... because I was a bad girl."</p><p>SMACK.</p><p>Your body jolted forward with a gasp. The initial sting on your skin remained painful for a long moment while he caressed you again, pulling his fingers against your now dewy cunt, tracing the wetness over you.</p><p>"You were a bad little slut, weren't you?"</p><p>SMACK.</p><p>A yelp escaped you this time as your body rocked forward again. Your breaths became heavy.</p><p>"Yes... yes...I was... I didn't mean to..."</p><p>SMACK.</p><p>Cries turned into moans once the sting started to numb over. </p><p>Something about Charlie spanking you for the pleasure of punishment was so divine. You felt as though you were truly being redeemed after every blow. He held the power to make you feel good and pure again. And you chased after that feeling as if it was all that mattered.</p><p>His hand came down on you one last time before he hissed through his teeth and brought his fingers back to your core, relishing in how wet you had become.</p><p>"You're a mess for me, little one. You like being punished, don't you..." he plunged two fingers inside and groaned when your walls tensed around his digits. "You like being a bad girl?"</p><p>You gripped the armrest of the chair with a moan. "No...I want to be your good girl..."</p><p>Charlie pulled his fingers back then forward again, deeper this time. "Yeah? You wanna be my good girl?" he grit his teeth, curling his fingers to feel more of you.</p><p>"Mmmm... yes... please..."</p><p>His hand began fucking you slowly at first, letting your heat build with every thrust. His other hand found your jaw and pulled your gaze to the side towards him.</p><p>"Look at me," he ordered, jaw slacked as he moved his gaze back and forth between his fingers hard at work and the semblance on your face, straining with pleasure. "I don't want you to cum yet, I want you to hold it back for me... like a good girl..."</p><p>You groaned against him, trying to stop your orgasm from progressing further by focusing on anything else but Charlie's intense, dominant touch on you. A shell of sweat formed on your forehead while you concentrated on your breathing, eyes screwed shut. A yank on your jaw came next as his pace picked up faster.</p><p>"Look. At. Me."</p><p>Matching his hooded eyes only made it more difficult to hold anything back. You clenched your jaw, letting out a cry from your throat as you grappled.</p><p>His hand slowed and eventually pulled away, smacking your ass again for good measure with a wet hand.</p><p>"Go to your bedroom," he ordered, sounding like a true daddy. "I want you on the bed, and on your knees."</p><p>You pretended to be somewhat frightened of him but you were giddy as hell on the inside, eager to keep up the charade. You hurried into the bedroom and positioned yourself as he suggested near the edge of the bed, resting your hands on your lap.</p><p>He followed not long after, shaking a can of whipped cream in his hand that you didn't realize he brought until just now. He tossed the can on the bed next to you before abruptly grabbing the collar of your lace dress and splitting it open down the middle, allowing your breasts to be freed from the fabric.</p><p>You adored his harshness when he was greedy for you.</p><p>He stared at your bare tits while he fumbled to unbuckle his belt and unzipped his pants with shaky hands. Pulling his length free, he stroked himself at the sight of you, understanding all too well why James couldn't control his urges.</p><p>"You're mine now, princess. No one else is allowed to look at you like this..."</p><p>Your doe eyes gazed up at him as you nodded in concession.</p><p>"I'm yours, daddy."</p><p>You bit your bottom lip, watching him fuck his fist, shaft swelling more and more.</p><p>"You want this thick cock in your mouth, don't you?"</p><p>Licking your lips, you hummed in agreement. He leaned over and grabbed the can of whipped cream, popping off the top and drawing a line of fluffy, white cream from the base of his cock to the head.</p><p>He held his cream-covered dick out to you.</p><p>"Come get your dessert..."</p><p>You wasted no time, pitching forward with your hungry tongue ready to lick up his offering. Cream gathered on the corners of your mouth and above your lip while you ate up as much as you could, using your fingers to scoop up and suck on the stray bits. You opened your jaw wide and took his length in deep into your throat.</p><p>Charlie couldn't contain the humored smile on his face while he watched you savor his sugary cock.</p><p>"That's it. You're so good for me, baby," he encouraged, cupping his hand under your jaw, feeling the girth of his length pushing in and out. It made him even harder.</p><p>He watched you suck on him with such adoration and passion, it sent waves of gratifying chills through him. You loved him... and he loved you. And now you could both be nasty and nice together knowing your heart was safe with each other.</p><p>Charlie watched you with desire, needing to be inside you, to make love to you, but he also wanted to keep his control over you. This dominant response was feeding his urge to claim you in ways that James never would. Even if you wanted nothing to do with James, Charlie needed to make you his.</p><p>"Take off the dress and get on all fours."</p><p>You slipped off the torn fabric easily from your frame, keeping your eyes glued to his while doing so. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the chain leash, attaching you to it by your collar.</p><p>He tugged you forward with it while he knelt down on the bed with you, bringing you in for a soft kiss. His thumb traced your jawline as he pulled away.</p><p>"I love you..." he whispered. "...but I need to fuck you hard tonight, princess."</p><p>He skimmed his nose against yours, inhaling slowly.</p><p>You moved your mouth forward, seizing his bottom lip in between your teeth, and raking across slowly until it released from your bite. He growled at the seductive move.</p><p>"Good, because I want it hard."</p><p>Within an instant, you were forced face down flat onto the bed. You turned your head so you could see what was coming next when you saw him swiftly remove the black leather belt from his pants and grip it in half. He had something else in his hand but you couldn't tell what it was from your restricted angle.</p><p>Charlie climbed onto the bed and straddled your legs, resting on the back of your thighs and looking down at your bare backside. He traced the curve of the leather belt along the red imprints on your ass from the spanking he did moments ago.</p><p>You prepared for another spanking but instead, you felt something else. He was writing something across your ass cheeks with a marker. You tried to make out the letters but he was too careless with his penmanship to follow along.</p><p>Seconds later you felt him reaching for your wrists to bring them to crisscross on your lower back. The coolness of the leather straps against your wrists as he bound them with the belt sent thrilling ripples through you.</p><p>You missed being tortured by this man.</p><p>He moved off of you and tugged on your hips to bring you up onto your knees, ass fully on display with your face buried in the bed and hands bound behind you.</p><p>Even though you couldn't see him, you knew he was admiring his work with pride as he normally does.</p><p>"God... look at you..." he spoke in an exhale as he unbuttoned his shirt. "I wish I could take a fucking picture."</p><p>Your hair was covering the side of your face as you attempted to see him better. He was standing behind you with a sinister grin as he undressed.</p><p>"So do it."</p><p>Your permission shocked him and he paused his movements.</p><p>"You sure?"</p><p>Charlie might have a history of being a playboy, but he wasn't a fuck boy. You knew even if shit hit the fan again with him, he was mature enough to keep special things private like nude pictures. Plus, now that a video of you masturbating was already in the wrong hands, what's the harm in adding a picture or two into the mix if it makes daddy happy.</p><p>Charlie scrambled for his phone as soon as you reaffirmed and you watched from the corner of your eye as he positioned the phone in front of him for the best angle. After he snapped the pic, he studied it carefully with a smile.</p><p>"Thank you. It's the best picture I've ever taken." He boasted.</p><p>You found that to be comical since he had a kid. Different kind of "best picture" you suppose.</p><p>The bed shifted as Charlie brought himself to your bounded body, grasping your hips with both hands and squeezing.</p><p>"Now daddy gets his dessert," you felt him move again before his face buried into your cunt, licking all the way from your clit to your ass, sending nervous waves of energy up your spine.</p><p>No one had ever been so bold with you before.</p><p>But Charlie? Charlie was all in. He had a way of reminding you that your body was beautiful, and every square inch deserved to be appreciated.</p><p>It took a moment to get comfortable with such passion in otherwise untouched places before you were able to relax and enjoy the new sensations.</p><p>You heard, and felt, the shaking of the whipped cream can again just as he adorned both ass cheeks with a dollop of cream. He dove to devour it, nibbling at the skin underneath as you squirmed with uncontrollable giggles muffled into the bed.</p><p>You could hear him smirking while he licked up every last bit of cream off your backside before aligning his hips back to yours.</p><p>Without much warning, he shoved his thick, full-length deep inside your pussy, the mood shifting wildly from fun and cute back to ravenous.</p><p>Cries of being split open so suddenly left your lungs, his hand finding the leash and tugging causing you to choke on your own moans.</p><p>He tucked the leather handle of the leash in between his clenched teeth, allowing both hands to return fully to your hips, controlling both his pace and your quaking body.</p><p>He bit down on the leather in his mouth with a growl while he plowed into you with urgency and virility.</p><p>Charlie recognized his climax was building faster than he wanted, most likely due to the fact he hadn't had his way with you like this in so long, the thrill was almost too much.</p><p>He released the leash from his mouth, allowing your throat to fully relax while he tried to slow his pace.</p><p>"You're gonna make cum before I want to, princess..."</p><p>He confessed through labored breaths as he gazed down to watch your tight walls swallow his massive cock, glistening with your need for him.</p><p>"Fuuuuck..." he whispered to himself at the sight of you taking his cock so well.</p><p>He reached over and undid the belt around your wrists, giving you some freedom back which you used to hoist your upper body up and push back against him.</p><p>He held his hips still, allowing you to control the pace and depth on your own, admiring how you took over.</p><p>His hands skimmed up your back and found the leash again, gripping it enough to lightly choke you as you fucked him, a silent reminder that he was in still charge and permitting you to have your fun.</p><p>"You like watching me fuck you, daddy?" you asked with a strangled voice.</p><p>A groan of ecstasy escaped him hearing your words. </p><p>"I do... you look so good, baby," he dropped the leash, squeezing both cheeks in his palms and spreading you open to see it all. </p><p>You felt his thumb press into the crown of your anus and you jolted forward.</p><p>"Holy fuck..." you exclaimed in almost a laugh from shock.</p><p>Charlie caressed your love handles and pulled you back towards him.</p><p>"Is this a first for you, sweetheart?" he asked, realizing how extra sensitive you were in that area of your body. He hoped it was, loving the idea of introducing you to another new kink. </p><p>"Yes..." you quietly admitted with a hint of shyness. You weren't sure if you'd love it or hate it but you trusted Charlie to be a good teacher of how it should feel.</p><p>"Do you want me to stop?" he asked, just in case.</p><p>"No..." you answered, preparing yourself. He pressed his thick thumb slightly further inside as he pushed his hard cock back inside your waiting cunt, filling you up in more ways than one.</p><p>You practically squealed, feeling him go deeper while you tried to relax your muscles. </p><p>Brand new tingles and surges of pleasure overcame you, having been touched by the grace of Charlie in places unexplored.</p><p>He choreographed his pace in perfect synchrony, allowing your climax to quickly come closer to the edge with every thrust. A part of you wanted him to stop but the other part wanted to keep going, to see how much you could take and how your orgasm would feel once it ripped through you.</p><p>You felt it right at the cusp, and just like magic, Charlie reached his other arm around and applied pressure to your clit, driving his thumb deeper into your ass as he did which threw you into another realm. You screamed obscenities, having all three erogenous zones paid attention to at once. </p><p>"Fuck, fuck...holy fuck!" you yelled, body trembling to find refugee by laying flat against the mattress as Charlie followed, struggling to keep his touch intact while his weight pressed against your back. As you both fell forward, his lips found the curve of your neck and he started sucking and biting on the skin as your whole body trashed underneath his full weight. </p><p>It was a sensation like no other.</p><p>Once your orgasm started to subside he used both hands to push his upper body off of you so he could continue fucking your aching cunt and work on his own climax. You tilted your hips up and he groaned as your dripping wet pussy took more of him in. </p><p>Locks of his dark hair fell forward while he focused on his cock pounding into you, your ass jiggling with every thrust, red and marked from him.</p><p>Charlie's good girl</p><p>Was the message he wrote in black marker and the sight of his name on your body while he plowed mercilessly into you made him cum harder than ever. He pulled out quickly and fucked his fist, spilling his fertile seed on your lower back, grunting and groaning as he did. </p><p>He collapsed on his back next to you with a large exhale while he tried to find his breath under a sheet of sweat that had adorned his chest and face. You turned your head to see him through strains of disheveled hair as half of your red and sweaty face was pressed against the mattress under you. He turned his gaze to meet yours and smiled.</p><p>"I love you..." he said in a heavy breath.</p><p>"I love you, too," your voice was muffled against the bed and you both giggled.</p><p>Charlie sprung up seconds later to clean up, always making sure to take care of you first before himself. He started the shower for you both and you followed him into the bathroom, twisting your body in front of the mirror to see what he wrote on you earlier. </p><p>He watched you with a grin.</p><p>"Okay. I'll allow it," you said with a cute smirk. "I'm just happy to be your good girl again."</p><p>Charlie tucked some wild pieces of hair behind your ear and placed a gentle kiss on your lips.</p><p>"You'll always be my good girl."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0030"><h2>30. Cue, Lady Marmalade</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Red Room was draped in hues of red, purple, and gold accents, complimenting the already dim and seductive atmosphere. Clients and their escorted guests came pouring in, filling the space within hours of the doors opening. </p><p>Faces were partly or completely covered with mystical masks, concealing true identities for a 'Night of Mystery' to come to fruition. Isabel stood in the VIP section with James as they monitored the crowd with a proud sense of accomplishment having such a successful outcome. She knew opening up the invitation for clients to bring their own guest would be a good business strategy to build up more clientele and possibly even more staff.  </p><p>Charlie walked in with Scarlett on his arm, both of them dressed to impressed with Scarlett wearing a floor-length purple gown and black lace mask covering her eyes. Charlie, the man the hour, wore a classic well-tailored black and white tuxedo, opting out from wearing a mask as a silent rebellion to Isabel and James.</p><p>Jeffrey walked in afterward and took his position in the main hall, blending in perfectly with his navy suit and black mask.</p><p>The bass music vibrated the walls and floor beneath everyone while people laughed and conversed, beginning their night with a round of champagne that was being passed through the crowd by beautiful waitresses in their typical pleather lingerie. </p><p>A stage was constructed against the back wall of the main hall to accommodate the audience coming to see Charlie's performance. Several patrons greeted him while Isabel kept a watchful eye on him and his mystery date.</p><p>"Who is that girl, James? Doesn't she look familiar?"</p><p>James was preoccupied with checking out a waitress's ass as she bent over in his line of sight. </p><p>"I don't know but the girl I'm looking at gives fantastic head, I can tell you that much," he commented, winking at the waitress as she turned around and made eyes at him. </p><p>Isabel nudged him. "You're so easily distracted, it concerns me," she pointed in Charlie's direction. "Her. Who is that?"</p><p>James squinted and tipped his head to the side, trying to figure out if he has seen Scarlett before. "Yeah... maybe. Maybe not. I could go introduce myself. If I've fucked her before, she'll get offended, and then we'll know for sure."</p><p>Isabel nodded. "Yeah. Go do that. Find out her name."</p><p>James walked away, slowly making his way through the crowd as Isabel scanned the room for you, realizing you were still nowhere to be found and wondering where the hell you were.</p><p>You were late. Again. </p><p>Charlie felt Scarlett squeeze his arm as James approached them. He placed his hand over hers for comfort and support.</p><p>"Charlie motherfuckin' Barber! The main event," James held out his arms in an overly enthusiastic manner, rubbing Charlie on the shoulder and shaking his hand. "Always good to see you. And... I see you brought a new guest?" James peeked at Scarlett, placing his hand out to greet her. "It's a pleasure to meet you, I'm James. And you are?"</p><p>Scarlett placed her hand in his, allowing him to kiss it.</p><p>"Hello, James. I'm Nicole. Nicole Barber."</p><p>A look of total confusion came over James as Charlie tried to internalize his amusement.</p><p>"Barber? As in... Charlie's wife??"</p><p>"Ex-wife." Charlie corrected him.</p><p>James let out an entertaining laugh. "You brought your ex-wife to The Red Room?? Wow, ballsy move. I guess I'll never understand marriage or divorce."</p><p>"I'm sure there are a lot of things you'll never understand. Like boundaries," Charlie recalled the video James sent him.</p><p>"Coming from the guy who brought his ex-wife to the sex club where his ex-girlfriend works," James leered back. "Looking forward to the show, Charlie." James patted his arm again before walking away.</p><p>Scarlett let out a large exhale of relief.</p><p>"It's okay. You did great," Charlie reassured her, watching James go back to Isabel and whisper something in her ear, causing her to look dumbfounded. </p><p>Charlie gave her a pretentious grin while raising his glass of champagne to her.</p><p>Isabel narrowed her eyes, becoming suspicious of what he was up to. She looked over the crowd again, still not locating you. She checked her phone, seeing that you had not responded to her latest text asking where the fuck you were.</p><p>She wondered if you knew Charlie was bringing his ex-wife and possibly chose not to come because of it.</p><p>Thirty minutes later, Charlie and Scarlett approached the stage as the house lights began to dim. The DJ turned down music when Charlie grabbed a microphone and stood center stage to address the crowd who now become quiet.</p><p>"Before we begin, I just want to take an opportunity to thank the person who created such a beautiful place for all of us to escape to. We owe her so much gratitude for allowing us to express ourselves in a safe and private space..."</p><p>Jeffrey approached Isabel who was silently watching Charlie's speech with a smug smile.</p><p>"Isabel Porter?" Jeffrey asserted in a low voice. She turned to him with a raised brow.</p><p>"Yes?"</p><p>Jeffrey flashed a police badge at her. "I'm Detective Johnson. I'd like to speak with you. Alone."</p><p>She scoffed. "It's kind of a bad time, detective."</p><p>Jeffrey shrugged. "This won't take long. I just have a few questions."</p><p>Isabel, not wanting to seem uncooperative, sighed and placed her drink down. </p><p>"Fine. Follow me," she requested as she led Jeffrey through the masses and down the corridor to her private elevator.</p><p>Charlie continued his speech as Isabel walked out of the main hall.</p><p>"...giving us the freedom to be ourselves without constraints and without judgment. When the rest of the world takes advantage of us, she created an alternate world of trust and fantasy..."</p><p>Jeffrey pulled his phone out of his pocket and sent you a text.</p><p>'Cue, Lady Marmalade.'</p><p>He placed his phone back in his pocket and got into the elevator with her, watching the doors close and smiling to himself.</p><p>You walked into the main hall just as Charlie said your name into the microphone, giving you all the credit for the creation of the club.</p><p>The audience emitted in applause as James furrowed his brow, slowly clapping while trying to understand what the hell was happening and where Isabel ran off to.</p><p>You walked up to the stage, waving at the crowd before taking the microphone from Charlie.</p><p>"Thank you all for coming. We want to shake things up and try something a little different tonight so we hope you'll enjoy the show...."</p><p>Charlie and Scarlett partially undress and took their positions in a bed on stage as a spotlight cast down on you. You had previously worked out the story narration with the house DJ who provided the lights and music.</p><p>"And now may I present The Nanny..."</p><p> </p><p>OPENING SCENE:</p><p>Charlie and Nicole are laying in bed reading.</p><p>CHARLIE: Should we have sex tonight? It's been a while.</p><p>NICOLE: (sighs) I don't know. I'm not really feeling like it. I'm pretty tired. </p><p>Charlie nods and closes his book, seeming frustrated.</p><p>CHARLIE: I'll be back. Just gonna check on Henry and get some water.</p><p>Narrator: Charlie walks out of the bedroom as Nicole turns over to go to sleep. Observing Henry is fast asleep in his bed, he passes by the nanny's (Y/N) bedroom next and realizes her door is slightly ajar. He peeks in and sees her masturbating on her bed. Mesmerized, he quietly watches her, grazing his hand over his own growing erection. </p><p>Y/N: (softly moans) Mmm... fuck.</p><p>Narrator: Charlie's breath hitches in his chest, unable to control his sexual urges, he grips his hard cock through his pants, trying to stay quiet as he continues peeping.</p><p>Y/N: I know you're watching me.</p><p>Charlie froze.</p><p>Y/N: (locks eyes with Charlie and sucks on her fingers) </p><p>If she won't fuck you, I will.</p><p> </p><p>A few members of the audience whistled in response. </p><p>James looked around the main hall and sent a text to Isabel.</p><p>'Where the hell are you? There's some weird shit going on in here...'</p><p>*********************************************</p><p>*Meanwhile, in Isabel's office*</p><p> </p><p>"I would offer you a drink, but you said this wouldn't take long so..."</p><p>"That's correct, ma'am," Jeffrey said, placing his hands in his pockets.</p><p>"Ugh, please don't call me ma'am. I prefer Madam," she insisted, lighting a cigarette to ease her nerves. She took a puff and motioned to Jeffrey. "Well... go ahead. What is it?"</p><p>"We have reason to believe that your company is involved with some illegal activities," Jeffrey stated with confidence, appearing ever so natural with his role. "Would you know anything about that... Madam?"</p><p>Isabel blew a line of smoke out from her mouth and into Jeffrey's face, causing him to wave it away. "No. I don't. And quite frankly, I'd like to speak with my lawyer before answering any more of your questions. Detective."</p><p>Jeffrey smirked and nodded his head. "I figured as much. Thank you for your time, Ms. Porter," he casually strolled out of her office.</p><p>She checked her phone and saw James's text. She responded back.</p><p>'Come to my office now.'</p><p>James shifted his way through the crowd of preoccupied clients whose eyes were glued to the stage and took the elevator up to Isabel.</p><p>"You are not gonna believe what's happening downstairs right now..."James said with a chuckled before stopping when he saw the look on Isabel's face.</p><p>"What's wrong?"</p><p>"I just got fucking questioned by a detective, James. How did a detective make it through those doors tonight?" she demanded answers. </p><p>James shrugged. "Fuck if I know."</p><p>Isabel grabbed her cocktail glass and threw it against the wall, booze, and glass splattered everywhere as James flinched.</p><p>"You better fucking do your goddamn job, James... keep this bullshit out of my way!"</p><p> </p><p>******************************************</p><p> </p><p>Narrator: Charlie entered the nanny's room, swollen cock gripped firmly in his hand.</p><p>CHARLIE: (whispers) You want me to fuck you?</p><p>Y/N: I've always wanted you to fuck me. </p><p>Charlie approaches the nanny with heavy breaths.</p><p>Y/N: (rolls her fingers over her clit) Do you want this, daddy?</p><p>Charlie nods with urgency.</p><p>Y/N: Yeah? Be a good boy and beg for it, then.</p><p>Charlie drops to his knees, stroking his cock.</p><p>CHARLIE: Please.</p><p>Y/N: Mmm... you can do better.</p><p>Charlie clears his throat with a groan.</p><p>CHARLIE: Please let me fuck you. I need it.</p><p>Y/N bites her lip.</p><p>Y/N: Why do you need it, daddy? Tell me.</p><p>Charlie strokes himself faster, breath caught in his chest.</p><p>CHARLIE: Because I've been good. I've been a good boy. Please.</p><p> </p><p>The audience was in awe watching Charlie, a traditional dominant, on his knees begging for sex. </p><p>Isabel and James entered back into the main hall, witnessing Charlie's last line, and halted at the sight before them. Charlie submitting to you in front of everyone, all of Isabel's hard work to create her idea of a perfect dominant came crashing down. </p><p> </p><p>Y/N: I'm gonna let you fuck me but only because I feel bad for you. Just remember I'm not your wife and you haven't earned this pussy so you better fuck it properly.</p><p> </p><p>More audience members whistled and a few clapped as Charlie rose up from his knees and positioned himself in between your legs. </p><p>He let a trail of spit fall down onto your cunt as he rubbed it with the head of his dick. You both locked eyes and couldn't help but smile at one another, unscripted, right before he pushed himself inside. </p><p>The DJ turned the club music back up as Charlie's hand found your neck, giving you a light choke while he fucked you on stage. Your eyes never left his, creating a sense of intimacy in a room full of people. He leaned down and kissed you deeply, hips pushing deeper into as he did.</p><p>Isabel looked around the room as clients cheered and began dancing, the room coming to life as you and Charlie pretended to be in your own world on stage. He pulled out and roughly flipped you over, lifting your dress up to display your ass still marked up from last night's punishment.</p><p>Charlie's good girl</p><p>He seized your love handles and pushed himself back inside, eyes fixed on his name, reliving the moment again and loving every minute of it. </p><p>He tugged your hair, causing you to arch your back fully while his hand wrapped around your exposed neck. He pounded into you, per the script, while you yelled obscenities. Moving his hand from your neck, he covered your mouth to keep you quiet.</p><p>Isabel was speechless watching the two of you perform together. </p><p>"I think we've been duped," James said, leaning over. He couldn't take his eyes off of you and your face in total ecstasy. </p><p>Isabel stood in a frozen state of madness, pulse-pounding with fury, unable to admit that you could have deceived her. She feared you were the one who let the detective inside the club to question her. You had planned distractions throughout the entire night so that you and Charlie could do whatever hell this was. </p><p>She wanted to shut the entire production down but she knew it would be bad for business.</p><p>"Escort them both to my office as soon as this pathetic circus is over," she said to James, leaving to go back upstairs. </p><p>James grabbed another cocktail from the tray a waitress was carrying as she passed by, sighing deeply while he continued watching you and Charlie. </p><p> </p><p>CHARLIE: is that pussy gonna cum for me?</p><p>Y/N: fuck me harder and it will.</p><p> </p><p>James smirked and shook his head, annoyed but admittedly enjoying the show. </p><p>Charlie thrusted vigorously as you cried out, orgasm hitting you hard while he tried to control his own. He pulled out and stroked himself while you dropped to your knees in front of him and opened your mouth. Hot ropes hit your tongue and face as Charlie grunted wildly, the crowd cheering as he came all over you.</p><p> </p><p>Nicole enters the room.</p><p>NICOLE: Are you fucking kidding me, Charlie?</p><p>CHARLIE: (staggered breaths) Shit. Shit, I'm sorry. </p><p>The nanny sits up and adjusts herself, wiping away traces of Charlie from her face.</p><p>Y/N: I don't know what you're so angry about. I've been making you cum for months now.</p><p>Charlie looked stunned.</p><p>CHARLIE: You've been fucking the nanny??</p><p>Nicole crossed her arms.</p><p>NICOLE: Correction. The nanny has been fucking me. </p><p>Charlie scoffs.</p><p>CHARLIE: I don't see how that's any different.</p><p>NICOLE: A man wouldn't understand the difference. </p><p>Charlie looked baffled.</p><p>Y/N: Charlie why don't you go back to bed now. Nicole and I have some things to ...discuss. </p><p>Narrator: a defeated Charlie walks out of the nanny's bedroom, leaving his wife behind as she crawls into bed with her lover. </p><p>*spotlight dims*</p><p>END SCENE</p><p> </p><p>The audience erupted in applause as the house lights came back on. You, Charlie, and Scarlett all took a bow. You located Jeffrey in the corner of the main hall and gave him an inconspicuous wink. </p><p>Walking off stage, James stopped you both.</p><p>"Well, that certainly was... something," he said with a look of bewilderment. "You know who wants to see you in her office. Obviously," he took a drink and motioned to the elevator. </p><p>You nodded at Scarlett as you walked away, assuring her everything was okay. </p><p>Charlie's hand encased yours as James led you both down the corridor. </p><p>He held you near him, blocking James from standing next to you in the elevator as it took the three of you up to the top floor.</p><p>"Personally, I enjoyed the show. Anytime I can watch kitten make that face when she cums is always a good time," James taunted. </p><p>Charlie's grip on you tightened. </p><p>"Plus, I knew you guys hadn't broken up. That's why I sent the video. As a reminder that kitten is a dirty little whore when Charlie isn't around..."</p><p>Within an instant, Charlie had removed his grip on you and pushed James into the wall of the elevator, striking him across the face with his fist. You backed up as the men brawled in the tiny space, testosterone-driven rage filling the air as James punched Charlie back.</p><p>The elevator doors opened and both men threw themselves out onto the floor by each other's collars, rolling around to gain control over the other. </p><p>"Stop!" you yelled, unable to rally either of them.</p><p>Isabel walked out of her office at the commotion.</p><p>"Jesus fucking christ... men are the worst," she said to herself, reaching over the reception desk and calling security for help.</p><p>Moments later everyone was settled in Isabel's office, both men recovering with bloody noses and tissues, sitting at opposite ends of the room. </p><p>You sat across from Isabel at her desk, feeling like the only adults in the place. </p><p>"So. What the hell was that downstairs?" Isabel started.</p><p>"Theatre," you remarked.</p><p>Isabel scoffed. "Theatre?" she rocked back and forth in her chair, eyes peering at you. "Darling, this isn't one of your little Broadway productions. You can't just change everything we do around here just so you and your boyfriend can play pretend."</p><p>"Well, I'm sorry you feel that way. That's going to make this next part difficult for you," you replied with ease. </p><p>"Excuse me?"</p><p>You got up and walked over to her beverage cart as if you owned it, pouring yourself a drink. Charlie watched you with prideful eyes, falling even more in love while you calmly tore Isabel's world down. </p><p>Taking your time to reply, you took a sip of alcohol and locked eyes with her.</p><p>"You're going to give me full ownership of the club."</p><p>Isabel and James both exploded in laughter looking at each other while you stood you silently.</p><p>"Wow... look at you," she remarked sarcastically, standing up. "You really think so? Sweetie, I don't take orders, I give them," she sneered. "What makes you think I'm going to hand over everything I've worked for to some cheap little, no-good actress?"</p><p>You snickered, walking back to take a seat. </p><p>"Because this cheap little no-good actress has a week's worth of recordings from your office and GPS coordinates."</p><p>Isabel narrowed her gaze at you before her eyes danced around the office, looking for evidence of such admission. </p><p>"You're lying."</p><p>You reached under your chair and detached the recording device, holding it up as proof.</p><p>Her face tensed as James sat up straight, gaining their full attention. </p><p>Isabel swallowed hard, her eyes on blast as she stared at you.</p><p>"James. Lock the door."</p>
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<a name="section0031"><h2>31. Void</h2></a>
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    <p>Charlie watched as you and Isabel remained in a staring match across her desk. James locking the office door and slowly coasting back to his chair, eyes wide at the two of you. The air in the room became thick and silent after the sound of the lock latching shut.</p><p>Isabel's eyes were glued to you, searing, while her hand blindly fiddled with the cigarette lighter in her hand. </p><p>She casually sat down in her chair, leaned back, and crossed one leg over the other, the slit of her dress showing off her perfectly toned legs. Charlie took note that you appeared to be just as confident as Isabel, at least on the outside. He knew your heart must have been pounding out of your chest because his surely was. </p><p>Even though the temperament of the room shifted to one of intensity and fear, Charlie was mesmerized by you. He was so proud of how strong you were, overcoming so much in the amount of time that's he's known you, and how you were now facing the devil reincarnate - staring right into the belly of the beast with such strength and resilience.  </p><p>He was inspired by you. He was impressed. </p><p>Enamored. </p><p>You influenced him to want more out of life because you believed he deserved it. Charlie wanted to be a better and stronger person not only for himself but for you.</p><p>For Henry. </p><p>You were someone he didn't even try to find or seek out. All he was searching for before you came into the picture was control and comfort. But you gave him so much more than that. You showed him compassion, emotion, vulnerability... and <em>real</em> love. </p><p>And you showed him that all of these things were okay to feel again. He was allowed to be himself - to explore who he was without judgment. </p><p>It was the greatest gift anyone could have given him. <em>The freedom to be loved and love again.</em></p><p>Charlie observed as Isabel tried to attain control of the situation that had clearly blown up in her face.</p><p>"You really think you're just going to hand that over to the authorities?" Isabel smirked, rocking back and forth in her chair. "Sweetheart, you are too foolish to even understand what you've done. Leaving a recording device in here is illegal unless one party is present and aware of the conversation being recorded. Anything that you caught on that thing - which I'm assuming is nothing of importance - won't hold up in court anyway."</p><p>Charlie knew that was never your plan. Going to the police was something you ruled out because of this very reason. You weren't stupid, but Isabel believed you were, which only gave you the upper hand.</p><p>He watched as a smug grin painted across your face. Lips of a goddess that he couldn't wait to taste again and have wrapped around his cock.</p><p>"Well it's a good thing it's not for the cops then," you insinuated. </p><p>Isabel narrowed her eyes at you. </p><p>"You're up to something-" she said in a low tone, almost to herself as if she was in deep thought, trying to figure you out.</p><p>"I never pegged you as a person who would be intimated by the authorities in the first place. After all, you probably own them, too, right?" you cocked your brow and began to stand, palms faced down on Isabel's desk so you could lean in and tower over her. </p><p>Her face became dark as she watched you try to dominate her. </p><p>"You claim to own everyone. So you know what I did?" your voice was laced with severity. "I found out who owns <em>you. </em>I  know who you're doing illegal business with and I don't think they will take too kindly knowing how I -<em> a cheap no good actress </em>- was able to compromise you so easily." </p><p>It was a lie - but a carefully crafted one. You didn't know who her criminal ties were but she didn't have to know that.</p><p>Isabel appeared speechless. </p><p>You were blackmailing the person who tried to blackmail you. </p><p>An eye for an eye.</p><p>Just when you thought you had won the war, Isabel moved swiftly to snatch the heavy paperweight from her desk in an attempt to bash it against your temple. Within the same instant, Charlie had sprung from his chair to stop her, grabbing her arm and causing her to drop the weight onto the desk with a loud thud. James was also on his feet now, clutching you by the shoulders to apprehend you as Charlie held Isabel back.</p><p>The room went from quiet tension to total chaos as everyone shouted at each other.</p><p>"I should kill you, you fucking bitch!"</p><p>"You don't have the fucking guts to!"</p><p>Isabel fought against Charlie's stronghold on her until she eventually wore out. James kept his grip on you, waiting for further instruction from Isabel on what exactly they were going to do next.</p><p>With heavy breaths, Isabel snatched her arm away from Charlie and sat back down. His eyes locked on you now.</p><p>"Let her go," he demanded of James.</p><p>"I'm not letting go of shit until I know for sure that this little whore isn't ratting me out!" he returned. Charlie faced flushed with anger, but he knew he needed to diffuse the situation instead of escalating it again. He didn't want you to get hurt.</p><p>"Just void both of our contracts - no strings attached, no fine print bullshit!" he requested with urgency. "Fuck it - just let us both out of this hell hole and we can call it even. You have my word."</p><p>Isabel chuckled. "Your word?? Your word is worthless, Charlie. Just like the vows you told your ex-wife on your wedding day," she criticized before reaching into her desk for a cigarette.</p><p>The room went still again as she took her time lighting it and taking the first drag.</p><p>"Here's what's going to happen..." she said calmly, rocking and forth in her chair again, smoke slipping from her perfect crimson lips. "I'll void your contract, Charlie. I'll even give you severance pay to help you move."</p><p>Charlie furrowed his brow. "Move?"</p><p>Isabel nodded. "You're leaving the city."</p><p>"Excuse me?" </p><p>Isabel shrugged. "You should be in California with your son, anyway. You can work on your little screenplay project out there and start over fresh." she offered as if she was giving him sound advice. </p><p>Charlie scoffed. "This isn't some game, Isabel. You can't just tell me-"</p><p>Isabel held up her hand to stop him.</p><p>"You'll do it, otherwise I'll hold your little actress girlfriend accountable for meeting <em>her</em> contractual obligations," she sneered. "By any means necessary."</p><p>Charlie's heart dropped. It was a threat and by how she reacted a moment ago, he wouldn't doubt that she was dangerous enough to have you murdered if she felt the need to have it done.</p><p>"If you want both of the contracts properly voided - you'll leave the city and go to California. Otherwise, I'm fully prepared to take you both to court for illegal wiretapping and breach of contract." she took another drag. "I'm also prepared for anything else that I may need to execute to protect myself," she said, glaring at you.</p><p>Somehow Isabel regained control again and if it was possible, you hated her even more now. </p><p>Perhaps not all would be lost. You could move to California with Charlie if he asked you to but your theater days would be over. It was as if Isabel knew the personal struggle you'd face over choosing your own career path or choosing Charlie. She knew you were strong-willed and had your own goals and she knew Charlie had become a distraction from what you envisioned for yourself.</p><p>You hated that she was under your skin, controlling so much of your own thoughts as if she possessed you.  </p><p>Charlie and you locked eyes. He felt defeated and the look on his face was evidence of that. He just wanted this to be over, to be free from this fucked up circus of events. And he certainly wasn't leaving you to fend for yourself. </p><p>"Fine," he exhaled. "I'll go."</p><p>Isabel smiled.</p><p>"Now release her," he ordered. </p><p>Isabel motioned to James to do so and Charlie walked over, seizing you by your arm and leading you out of the office. "Send me confirmation of both voids by tomorrow morning," he said over his shoulder while walking out with you in his grip.</p><p>"What the hell-" you began to argue but Charlie stopped you. Since your plan did not go as expected at all, you had several questions. </p><p>"Not here. Just get in the elevator," he insisted. </p><p>You both stood side by side in silence as the elevator descended down to the first floor.  You were both trying to mentally process what just happened and how to move forward.</p><p>Charlie reached over and pressed a button to stop the elevator, reaching up to run his hand through his hair and pause at his mouth in deep thought.</p><p>You didn't have the answers anymore.</p><p>"Come with me," he said softly.</p><p>You swallowed, needing a minute to absorb the ask, or what sounded more like an order. </p><p>"Come with me to California," he repeated, turning to look at you.</p><p>Your throat started to close up from anxiety and fear of the unknown. What would you do in California? What if your career plummeted? What if things didn't work out with Charlie? It's not like the two of you had a stable relationship up until now. You were just beginning to start over. Was it really a good idea to move across the country with him?</p><p>He could sense your hesitation and internal spiraling. </p><p>He quietly approached you and cupped the sides of your face, studying you for a moment.</p><p>"I can't lose you again," his baritone voice beginning to waver. "Come with me..."</p><p>"Please."</p><p> </p><p>************************</p><p>
  <em>A/N: Next chapter will be longer - thanks for your patience with me. -xo</em>
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